


HIS

by Anonymous



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Fingering, Anal Play, Anal Plug, Beastiality is inferred-not to a main character, Bestiality, Bladder Control, Blood Rites, Breeding, Catheters, Chess, Child bullying, Classroom Drama, Conquest/Control, Darkfic, Death, Enemas, Execution, Extremely thorough Medical Exam, F/M, Fear, Force Visions (Star Wars), Girls in Chains, Grooming, Incest, Interrogation, Kissing, Kissing Kink, Lactation Kink, Lonliness, M/M, Medical Examination, Medical Kink, Medical Procedures, Mindfuck, More tags to be added, Multi, Naboo Royal Handmaidens (Star Wars), Naked Cuddling, Naked Female Clothed Male, Naked Male Clothed Male, Naked wresting, Nightmares, Oral Fixation, Oral Sex, Past Child Abuse, Piercings, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Private School, Protective Ben Solo, Public Nudity, Public Sex, Repressed Memories, Rules, Sign Language, Sith Rites, Sith Temples (Star Wars), Squick, The Religion of this AU is SITH, Torture, Training, Vessel Worship, Whipping, Witnesses for a medical procedure?, court etiquette, court intrigue, dog breeding, family expectations, m/m - Freeform, pet death, treasures, tutors, war games, wound care
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:08:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 40,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27652504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: She had been found in an alley, arm broken, malnourished, and dirty. Left for dead.Now she’s found a protector and he’s taking her home.Welcome to the world of the Sith.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 213
Kudos: 271
Collections: Anonymous





	1. Found

Age 6 

She had been found in an alley, arm broken, malnourished, and dirty. The waitress who had been taking out the trash thought she was dead. It had been the policeman who called for an ambulance. The hospital immediately called social services for the girl who had no name and no parents, and a case worker was assigned. It was a couple of days before she regained consciousness, frightened and alone with strangers. They would ask her things and she would stare back, not knowing what to say. Upon her discharge, they took her to a group home, because her needs were too much to not be under supervision. But the small facility in Jakku was not prepared for this tiny broken girl who did not speak and upon evaluation, they petitioned the social worker to move her to their main home in Chandrila. 

Which is how a month later this tiny girl, stuffed into a tan coat 3 sizes too big for her is put in the back of a car, driven 10 hours from everything she has ever known and is dropped off at the largest house she has ever seen.

There is a kind older woman who puts her arm around her and shows her the open rooms on the first floor. There is a television, art station, a large table with puzzles, a sewing area, library and a table with 3 computer stations. She then shuffles her down the hall to a nurse who sets her on a table and takes her temperature, presses her wrist and listens to her heart. They all sound kind, smiling and touching her like she is fragile. When she doesn’t respond they start to talk to each other and she hears words like referral and Amilyn.

A bell rings in the hallway and the older woman sets her back on her feet, leads her to the kitchen, and introduces her to the tallest, hairiest man the girl has ever seen. Her eyes are huge as he kneels down to peer into her face as she hides behind the old woman. He tilts his head at her with a small smile and she finds herself returning it as he holds out his hand and leads her to an empty seat at the table. 

Someone puts a plate, divided into sections, in front of her and she watches as the kids around her all eat like ravenous wolves. She reaches for a bite, looking it over, then takes a bite, then another, relieved that it is something she knows. Chicken.

There are also apple slices and carrots and she watches as the girl next to her dips the carrots into a white substance, but nibbles hers without it. After only a couple of bites, she’s feeling nauseous so she stops.

The boy across from her points to her half full plate and she pushes it to him with a smile, but the boy next to him grabs it and shares it with his friends. The girls on her side of the table keep talking to her, touching her ill fitting clothes and laughing… and she smiles back at them trying to fit in.

She’s relieved when the old woman returns to take her upstairs and shows her where she will sleep. There are 4 girls to a room and she gets the bed furthest from the door. The woman hangs the girl's coat on a peg on the wall at the bottom of her bed, then takes her to a closet in the hall and pulls out a pair of pants, holding it up to her body to check fit, then finds underwear, a shirt and a sweater. 

They then goto a bathroom and she draws the girl a bath, the woman’s eyes tearing up as she runs the washcloth over the girl's protruding ribs. Once the girl is clean and her hair is washed, she is dressed quickly before she can catch a chill and then she’s led to a chair, the woman watching her close as she pulls an upside down bowl over her head and flips a switch.

The girl jumps at the noise but quickly giggles as warm air is blown around her head, her tiny fingers exploring the machine as the woman says something about getting warm.

The girl remembers warmth and this feels so good that she relaxes a little. It’s over too soon and she’s being led to another room, this one with 2 chairs and a low table with toys and crayons and paper. Here she meets a tall woman with purple hair and the girl just stares at it, wide-eyed. It’s so pretty.

Tall woman’s voice is gentle too. Everyone is nice here and the girl examines the items on the table, seeing something she recognizes in a bowl. She reaches for it, then pulls her hand back, checking to see if the lady gets mad, but she smiles and pushes the bowl at the girl and so she grabs what she knows and holds onto it tight. She looks back into the bowl, knowing there’s more, but she doesn’t see it, so she dumps the bowl out and laughs when she finds another, then finally the last, holding them to her chest. The woman sits on the floor next to her, putting the rest back into the bowl, then points to the girl’s hand wanting to see. So the girl sets them down one by one, turning and shifting until they are all right side up and in order.

R E Y

“Rey,” says the woman with a smile and the girl smiles brightly back. “I’m Amilyn,” she says, placing her hand on her chest. 

Amilyn shows her pictures of kittens and a girl and a boy and crayons and blocks.

But Rey’s fingers stay on her letters, content.

Amilyn then reads her a book about a donkey that gets longer and sillier every time she turns the page, Rey just sits there stunned.

A timer by Amilyn’s chair goes off and Rey reluctantly drops her letters back into the bowl. The old woman comes back to take Rey back to the first floor and the other children are all in groups at different parts of the room. Rey sits by the wall and watches a group of boys roll small cars down the length of the room as if racing. There are 2 girls, heads together fixing a doll with a needle and thread. There is a large group sitting in front of the television watching puppies swim with mermaid tails? There are 5 kids painting and the colors draw Rey in to get a closer look but a large girl tells her to go away, it’s their turn to paint. 

The boys with the cars tell her she’s a girl, go play with a doll. The girls with the doll get mad when she can’t talk back to answer their questions.

So Rey sits at the empty puzzle table, looking at the picture on the box. It’s a cottage, surrounded by a garden of flowers and a large tree. She stares at it, then looks down at the table. She starts with the purple flowers near the corner of the picture, looking around the table to find all the little glimpses of purple she can find and places them all in front of her, twisting and turning the pieces. She makes one fit and giggles, drawing attention. One of the older boys comes over and sees her pile and quickly assembles the rest together for her, patting her head. Rey looks at the flowers then back at the picture. There are 2 different patches of red, a bush in the background and one by the house. She looks around the edges of the table to find the red, making a pile. She spreads out her pieces and stares at them until she’s startled by a bell. The other kids go running for the bathroom to wash their hands and Rey follows, waiting for her turn.

When she gets to the table, she takes the only empty seat and waits until food is placed in front of her by the tall man. She nibbles on her meat, deciding she likes it and reaches for her little cup of grapes but it’s snatched from her plate and replaced with an empty cup. The boy next to her dumps the entire portion into his mouth and chews happily. He obviously likes grapes. She reaches for a french fry and the girl on the other side helps herself to a couple, talking to Rey as if they were best friends and she stares at her confused. When she goes to get another bite she finds her plate empty and the old woman praises her for finishing her plate.

The kids leave, finished with their dinners and she sits there trying to figure out what happened when she sees a black pair of converse standing next to her chair. A hand reaches out to her and she puts her hand on it to gage the size difference, the hand is huge. It gently grasps her hand and pulls her into the kitchen, sitting her at the counter. “Chewie, Lil bit here is tiny. Can you make her one of my favorites please?”

The tall man’s name is Chewie.

She watches as he pulls a pan and puts it on the stove, butters bread and then takes out some cheese, layering it in the pan. She gasps when with a flick of his wrist the sandwich flips over to cook the otherside. 

“Triangles or soldiers?”

“Oh Soldiers, definitely, we need to toughen our girl up. They stole her food at dinner.”

Chewie cuts the sandwich into long strips then lines them up on a plate. “I’ll let Maz know, she’ll keep an eye on them, says our Rey here is all ribs.”

Rey closes her eyes at the first bite, this is the most delicious thing she has ever had and she smiles at Chewie. 

“You like it, Lil bit?”

She nods slightly.

“You should say thank you,” says the volunteer in the black converse.

She looks down at her plate, weighing the costs and eyes filling with tears.

“Hey, hey, don’t cry Lil bit. You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to,” black converse says rubbing her back. “Here let me show you, hold your hand up like this,” he holds his hand up, palm towards him and places his fingers on his chin then pulls it out, palm up. “This is how to say thank you without words.” He does the motion again.

Rey almost smiles, looking up at Chewie then puts her fingers to her chin and does the motion.

“You are very welcome, Rey.” Chewie smiles at her fondly. “You are good with her, lil man.”

“I’m not so little anymore, Uncle Chewie,” black converse says and Rey can hear the smirk on his face as she eats her soldiers. She gets full after the third and pushes her plate away.

Black converse holds his hands up, fingers splayed and twists them back and forth. “All done?”

Rey nods, mimicking the motion.

“Good girl,” he replies, swiping the last soldier off her plate and stuffing it in his mouth. “That’s so good.”

He puts her on the ground and pushes her towards the common room and she returns to her puzzle to find all the red pieces missing. She looks under the table, but the only piece on the floor has a splotch of yellow. She examines the picture again, finding the yellow punch of flowers in the middle, then travels around the edge of the table, lifting the yellow pieces into her hand. She returns to her seat and lays them all out in front of her. According to the picture, these flowers are in tall spikes and the bottoms are darker than the top. So she shifts and turns them, lining up the colors then finding each bump that goes in what dip.

“You are good at that, Lil bit.” The black converse shoes are back. “I like how you divide the picture by color and focus on one small part at a time. That’s smart.”

Rey keeps her head down, then slowly lifts her fingers to her chin and pulls down.

She feels his hand on her head. “Maz washed your hair today?”

She nods, turning a puzzle piece over between her fingers and she feels his fingers comb through her strands then start to pull, twist and cross all the way down her neck. She hears a band pop at the end. “That should hold you together and keep it from getting tangled while you sleep.”

She reaches back, feeling the pattern then makes the thank you motion again, still looking down.

“You are very welcome, Rey. Good night.” He kisses the crown of her head and walks away, asking who would like a braid before bed. Several other girls take him up on it and she gets to watch his fingers as they quickly and neatly weave the locks.

“Now where were we,” he says, picking up a book as Maz turns off the television. 

“The white pig had run away and Taran went after it,” a small boy said from the corner.

“Oh yes,” Black converse chuckled then read them the next chapter of the book. When he was finished, Maz clapped her hands. “Okay age 7 and under, go brush your teeth. That includes you, Rey.”

Rey follows the girls up the stairs to the bathroom she’d had a bath in and watches as they brush their teeth. Each girl removes a cup from the shelf with their name on it, using the brush and small tube inside. Rey smiles when she finds her name, flipping the top of her tube to put the white paste on her bristles. She then finds an open spot in the mirror and brushes. The other girls keep brushing longer and longer, so she copies them and makes sure she hits every surface. Finally the girls rinse their mouths in a huff, throwing the brushes and tubes back into the cups and placing them back on the shelf. 

Rey uses the stool once it’s available and gets some water to rinse her mouth, then carefully rinses her toothbrush, placing it bristle side up in her cup with the tube and returns it to the shelf. 

She walks to her room, two girls giggle as she passes but the big girl stands in her path, hands on her hips and gets right in her face. “Don’t think we don’t know what scam you’re running. Pretending to be sick so you get more food and attention. We’ve seen it all before and you better watch out.” Rey walks around her and changes into the nightgown laying across the bottom of her bed. The giggling stops when they see her ribs and protruding hips but Rey doesn’t acknowledge the silence, just crawls under the covers, faces the wall, and closes her eyes.

The rest of the week is more of the same, the rain keeps them all inside. She sits at the puzzle table by herself working on patches of color, staring at the pieces for hours until she figures out how they fit. She sits with Amilyn 2 more times and is encouraged to attempt to make friends, so she tries. She approaches different groups only for them to turn away, telling her with body language that she’s not welcome.

At least they are leaving her food alone now that Maz sits with them at the table, keeping a watchful eye on all of them. Black converse comes about every other day, ending each night by reading another chapter out of his hero book, even if Taran didn’t seem like much of one. 

So Rey’s first week passes quietly, which she likes. She’s fed, which she really likes and the adults all seem nice, which she’s cautious of… she keeps waiting for one of them to yell.

On Saturday, the rain stops and they are allowed to play out in the yard. She tries to get the ball to kick it in the net, but she gets tired and has to catch her breath, the other kids easily knock her aside in their pursuit when she tries again and she decides to try the slide instead. 

A boy there steps on her fingers when he decides he doesn’t want to slide but tries to come down the ladder on top of her and she falls, crying out when she lands on her still healing arm. Maz rushes to her and brushes her off, sternly warning the boy to watch out for the little ones.

The boy apologizes and runs off to play dodgeball with a group. Rey follows him and joins a side, getting pelted for her efforts, so she gives up and goes to sit on the steps.

Black converse comes down the steps a few moments later and sits on the step above her, opening a book and starts to read about a Runny Babbit, drawing a crowd. After the book is over, they go inside to have cocoa and play while half the kids get baths before dinner, which passes without incident.

Rey sits again at her puzzle table working on the yellow thatch of the roof, still shivering from being out in the damp air. 

She smiles when she sees a familiar pair of shoes approach and sit next to her. “Are you cold, Lil bit,” he asks, draping a long thick black scarf around her neck. “It’s because you are so little, your body needs more mass to hold its heat in.” He wraps it around her shoulders too and folds it over itself so it will stay in place. “We can’t have you getting sick.”

She puts her fingers to her chin, thanking him and he chuckles, bending to kiss her head before crossing the room to roughhouse with the boys.

She hangs the scarf up with her coat before she goes to bed, smiling at it as her eyes close to sleep.

When she wakes the next morning, it’s not there. She’s not terribly surprised. No one has special things here, everyone learns to share, and she tries to not be sad that it is no longer her turn. She smiles at Chewie as he gives her a bowl of oatmeal to warm her up from the inside and when she’s finished, she looks at him tapping her fingertips together in the sign for more, then rubs her chest, signifying please.

Chewie smiles, giving her another ladleful then asks if anyone else wants more, laughing when most of them take him up on his offer.

Maz chalks the appetites up to the fresh air and announces that the younger kids, 10 and under would play outside this morning while the older kids could play outside in the afternoon. 

With the older kids gone, Rey gets a chance to sit on a swing, rocking herself back and forth in glee. When another girl approaches, she gets off, handing over her swing with a smile.

“You really are a sweet girl,” Black converse steps to her side as her mouth gapes at how high the other girl can go.

She pushes her hair behind her ear, shivering as the wind picks up.

“Where’s your scarf?”

She shrugs, not looking at him so she doesn’t notice that he leaves as she watches the girl go higher. She has just about figured out how it’s done when she feels the warm wool fall around her, this time he leaves enough to pull up over her head to cover her ears.

“There you go, Lil bit. I was serious, we just got you eating, you’ll make us all look neglectful if you get sick. Stay warm.”

She fingers the thick edge of the fabric with a smile, then signs thank you.

He pats her head then picks up a glove to throw a ball with the bigger kids.

He sits with them when they are called in for lunch, having a conversation with Maz about how they would lose funding for the house if they were ever accused of being neglectful of the children in their care and how important it was to look after each other. Several of the older kids eat with their heads down, not making eye contact.

After lunch, the older kids go out to play and she is asked to sit with Amilyn again. Amilyn always starts with questions. How are you? Has anyone been mean to you? Did you like breakfast?

Questions about food are always answered with an enthusiastic nod, Chewie is the best cook ever.

Questions about the other kids are ignored, Rey sitting as still as she can, not knowing that she’s shouting her answers to the woman across the room. 

Today, there is a brand new pack of crayons on the table and Rey opens them, staring at the tips and clean papers in awe. She takes each color one at a time, Turing it over in her hands, then lays it down to pick up the next. She looks at the papers then the crayons, sighs, then returns the crayons to the box. Setting the box aside, she reaches for the basket of used crayons and proceeds to draw a rainbow.

Red

Orange

Yellow

Green

Blue

Purple

She smiles, hands the picture to Amilyn then leaves.

She goes to her room, hanging her jacket on her peg, but keeps the scarf wrapped around her shoulders as she lays on her bed and falls asleep.

“Lil bit, are you feeling okay?” She feels his hand on her head, searching for a fever and she must feel warm because he picks her up and takes her to the nurse’s room, Maz comes in to take her temperature, which is 90 degrees.

“She probably sleeps hot, I’ll keep an eye on her. Now come, it’s time for dinner. We are having pizza tonight.”

Rey jumps down off the table and runs for the kitchen as a paper plate of cheese pizza is placed in front of her. It’s the biggest slice she has ever seen and she chews it slowly to enjoy every moment. 

Black converse is coming around the table with a gallon of milk and she signs for more, signaling enough when the glass is halfway full.

“Good girl.”

She finishes all her dinner and milk and takes her plate to the trash and her glass to the sink. Then returns to her puzzle to twist and turn the pieces of the roof, trying to make sense of them.

Black converse comes in to read before bed and when he’s finished Maz sends them upstairs. The line at the bathroom is so long that Rey goes to her bedroom to change into her nightgown, placing the scarf on the bottom of her bed and the day's clothes in the hamper to be washed.

When her roommates arrive she steps down the hall to relieve herself, wash her hands and face, then brush her teeth. When she returns the room is dead quiet, the girls laying in each of their beds, the covers over their shoulders, which is strange. Maz almost always has to come in and tell them to settle down at least once. She shakes her head to dismiss the mystery and comes to a complete stop. There on the floor by her bed is her scarf in pieces. She kneels on the floor, fingering the rough edges and bows her head.

She takes a deep breath and picks them up one by one, counting. 15, there are 15 pieces. She cradles them in her arms, crawls under the covers, faces the wall and cries.

She stays in bed the next morning, Maz agreeing when she peaks in before breakfast. She lays there listening intently waiting and finally she hears the school bus pull up in front of the house and the kids get on.

They’re gone.

She gets up and dresses in the clothes laid out at the bottom of her bed, pulling her blankets up to her pillow and folding them down. Then hides the pieces of her scarf in her sweater.

Chewie offers her food and she shakes her head and goes to the sewing section, laying out the pieces of her scarf and picking up a big needle. 

“What do you mean you don’t want to eat,” Maz begins then sees the scarf, kneeling by Rey’s chair. “Oh my sweet girl. We can fix it, this is wool though, yarn would be better than thread.” She takes the sharp needle out of Rey’s hand and gives her a larger needle with a blunt tip, then pulls out a basket of yarn in different colors.

She shows Rey how to line up the edges of the cuts the loop the yarn through over and over from one end to the other. Rey mimics Maz’s hands, working from the other end and listens as Maz tells her stories about a boy who always went looking for adventure. “He has too much of his father in him for his own good.”

They stop for lunch, listening to Chewie’s stories as they eat soldiers and tomato soup, which Rey chooses to drink instead of spoon.

Then they return to their yarn, the other little kids sitting with them and laughing at Maz’s stories. 

“That’s so beautiful, Rey,” Rose says sweetly and Rey smiles, signing thank you, which Maz interprets for her verbally.

The bus arrives as Maz is helping her put the two sides together and she picks a dark crimson yarn to do the final line. Her fingertips are sore and red from poking them all day, but Rey is happy that it’s almost finished. The older kids see the look on Maz’s face and head straight to the table to do their homework, everyone silent.

It’s so quiet that the sound of a car screeching to a halt out front is amplified, and the heavy steps that lead to the door or the way it slams as the black converse appear at her side.

“WHO DID THIS?!?”

“Now Ben,” Maz holds her hand up as Rey shrinks.

“Benjamin Skywalker Solo, my office now.” Amilyn says from the doorway.

He’s not quiet as he goes down the hall, and there is definite yelling behind the door, even though no one can make out the words. He’s not silent as he leaves, phone to his ear, “Mom, we have to talk.”

She finishes the scarf, holding it up. The younger set of kids all smiling and clapping their hands at her accomplishment as she wraps it around her.

“Well done, Rey,” Maz says gently. “It’s your night for a bath, would you like me to hold on to it for you?”

Rey nods, folding and placing it in her hands, running her fingers over the colors before she heads upstairs. She sinks into the warm water and soaks, then washes her hair, dunking twice to make sure she gets all the shampoo out, then washes. She just starts to rinse when someone starts to pound on the door. “I gotta pee.”

She gets out and pulls a towel around her, then opens the door to be pushed aside, slipping on the wet floor and lands on her hip.

“Get out, I’m peeing.”

Rey limps down the hall to her bed and sits, holding her hip while she catches her breath. She puts on her nightgown then squeezes the water out of her hair.

Amilyn pokes her head into the room, “Rey, you left water on the floor in the bathroom and need to go clean it up.”

She nods and heads back to the bathroom to empty the bath and wipe up the floor then limps back to her room to put her dirty clothes in the hamper. She puts her sweater on over her gown and heads downstairs as the bell rings. It’s Monday, so dinner is meatloaf with mashed potatoes and she eats the whole thing, takes her plate to the sink and retrieves her scarf, wrapping it around her shoulders.

She finishes the roof and starts on the white picket fence, not looking up until Maz tells her it’s time for bed. She brushes her teeth, hangs her sweater and slips under her blankets to fall into a deep sleep.

The next day she gets up, sore and winces at the bruise on her hip. She struggles, but manages to dress herself, hanging her nightgown and pulling on her sweater before wrapping her scarf around her shoulders.

She sits at the breakfast table and smiles at the way Maz flirts with Chewie as she eats her cereal, waiting until the bus leaves to signal for more.

She sits on the floor with the other little kids and watches them play dolls, shaking her head when they try to hand her one. Rose gets up and goes to the shelf of stuffed animals and pulls down a grey kitten, bringing it to Rey and saying ‘meow’ before picking her doll back up.

Rey turns the animal in her hands and smiles at how soft it is, placing it down on the carpet next to Rose’s doll and rubbing it against her.

“Good kitty,” says Rose, raising the dolls hand to pet the kitten.

“Meow,” says Rey, hopping the kitty back into her lap for a cuddle.

“Rey,” Amilyn calls from behind her. “Time to come visit, you can bring your new friend if you want.”

Rey smiles, hugging the kitty to her chest as she follows Amilyn. Instead of sitting at the table, Rey climbs into the chair, wrapping the kitty in the end of her rainbow scarf.

“Rey, I want to teach you a couple new signs today.”

Rey sits up straight and leans forward, this is new.

Amilyn holds her hand up, her pointer finger and middle finger together then brings them down sharply to tap her thumb, nodding when Rey copies her.

“This is the sign for no. You are allowed to say no. You do not need a reason to say no. We use the word no to set up a boundary so that we can feel safe and happy. Do you understand?”

Rey looks at her hand, confused and then nods.

Amilyn laughs, “ The sign for yes is very much like a nod.” She demonstrates by rocking her fist back and forth and Rey copies.

“Now Rey, do you know who cut your scarf?”

Rey signs no.

“It was nice of Ben to give it to you. He said you get cold?”

Rey signs yes, pulling the scarf around her tighter.

“It’s easier for you to play with the younger kids.”

Rey looks at the kitty in her lap, stroking it’s head.

They sit and listen to the clock tick and then Amilyn crosses to squat next to Rey’s chair, petting the kitten in her lap. “It is a very good kitty,” she says softly.

“Meow,” Rey whispers, then looks up into Amilyn’s face. She blinks then reaches up to touch Amilyn’s hair, lifting it as if to see if there’s another color hiding.

“You like color.” They both smile at each other. “Rey,” she asks softly. “Would you like a hug?”

Rey’s eyes blow wide and she nods, reaching for Amilyn’s neck.

Amilyn picks the tiny girl up and sits, holds her close and rocks her until the timer rings.

Ben arrives before the bus that afternoon and helps Rey lift her sections of color into the puzzle in the center of the table, the only parts that are left are the dark shading, shadows and green grass. When it’s time for dinner, he’s alarmed by Rey’s limp and points it out to Amilyn who pulls the girl down to the nurse’s room.

Upon finding the huge bruise on her hip, she is asked a series of yes and no questions that end with Amilyn knowing that she fell getting out of the bath but without her knowing the name of the other person there.

She limps to the table, picks up her spoon and takes a big bite of chili, it’s one of her favorites and swallows before she even tastes it, scooping up a second spoonful when the smell hits her nostrils. She runs for the trashcan, vomiting up her food as several kids at the table laugh. 

Amilyn starts to scold her for leaving the table, but Ben has his nose down in her bowl and carries it to Amilyn who inhales then coughs.

“Spoons down everyone.” Amilyn stands, placing her hands on her hips and looking around the table. “If you ride the bus to school, I want you to go upstairs, brush your teeth and get into bed. You have had enough fun for the day. Everyone else wait a moment while we check your food.”

Chewie and Maz check the bowls on the table while Ben wraps Rey in a blanket and carries her to the door. Amilyn meets them, now wearing a coat, carrying a folder and on her phone as they head out to her car.

Ben straps Rey into a booster seat and sits next to her, holding her hand.

“Your hands are so cold,” he wraps her hands up in his as they listen to Amilyn on the phone with a woman, explaining the incident.

Ben carries her into the ER as Amilyn explains and she’s taken right back to a room, the doctors rushing in to start their examination. When the social worker arrives, Ben and Amilyn are asked to wait in the waiting room. 

The police arrive and separate them, asking questions about the incident. When the officer asks about the bruise on her hip Ben stares angrily at Amilyn, admitting this is the first he had heard of it.

The social worker comes to get Ben, unable to communicate with Rey. Amilyn is still talking to the police, Rey’s file open in front of her.

Rey reaches for him the moment he enters the room and he sits in the chair next to her bed.

The nurse explains that her throat has burns and hands her a medicated popsicle to help numb the pain, then leaves the room. The police start their questions over, asking Rey if she knew who put the cleaner in her food. Ben’s eyes widen when she signs the word no, but calmly relays the answer to the officer.

They ask if anyone injured her hip and again she signs no, then mimics washing and slipping on the floor to go spat.

“That’s what she did last time, perhaps we could speak in the hall,” The social worker says, leaving the room.

Ben holds Rey’s hand, “You fell getting out of the bath?”

She doesn’t look at him, her finger tracing the yarn strips on her scarf. He points to the scarf, “May I?”

She signs yes and holds it out to him. He holds it out in front of him, looking at the bright colors with a smile. “I think it looks better now than it did. Does my Lil bit like color?”

She nods with a smile as she sucks on her popsicle. 

“Is your favorite color on here?”

She looks at the scarf, the colors of the rainbow are all there, but her favorite shade is not so she shrugs the question off.

The door opens and a woman that Rey has never seen before walks in and hugs Ben. “I got here as soon as I could. How is she?”

The lady puts her hand on Rey’s forehead, stroking her hair away from her face. “Oh my sweet sweet girl, I am so sorry.”

“The nurse said her throat is burned, I’d like Dr Cecil to look at her.” Ben says to the new woman then turns to Rey. 

“Rey, this is my mother, Leia Skywalker-Solo.”

“Where’s Amilyn,” his mother asks.

Ben points to the door, “She was still talking to the police when I left the waiting room.”

“I’ll go get her started on the paperwork.”

Ben kisses his mother’s cheek, “Thank you, mother.”

Ben sits back down, watching the IV drip to push fluids into her veins, then looks to find her eyes on his. They stare at each other for several heartbeats, then Rey’s fingers come up to her chin then arch down into an open palm.

“I’ve done nothing yet for you to thank me for, Rey, but I tell you what. I’d like to come visit you tomorrow and bring you a surprise, if that’s okay.”

She tilts her head at him, questions in her eyes and he shakes his head. “I will not be able to volunteer until the police investigation is finished. Mom’s lawyer will insist, part of being a Skywalker means you stay far away from scandal… and this will cause one anyway. Skywalker house is going to be inspected within an inch of its life. You were poisoned., that can’t happen, ever, even if it is a kid playing a prank. There will be an arrest.”

Her eyes bulge. It was one bite… and it caused all this.

“So, can I visit you tomorrow,” he asks hopefully, his face lighting up when she signs yes. 

The nurse comes in to unhook Rey from her IV and monitors and they hear the Doctor giving Amilyn the discharge instructions out in the hall and Ben steps out so the nurse can help Rey to dress.

When she’s ready to go, Ben carries her to Amilyn’s car and straps her in, kissing her head and reminding her that he’d see her tomorrow.

Back at the house, Rey is tucked into Maz’s bed with the stuffed kitten and left to sleep in a room alone. She wakes coughing a couple hours later and Maz brings her another popsicle, sitting with her until it is gone, then gives her a drink of water and lets her use the bathroom before returning to bed.

When she wakes next, the sun is streaming from the gap in the curtains and Rey grabs kitty and drops to the floor to go pee. She has to open the cabinet to stand in the small rise to reach the sink to wash her hands. Then she goes to the kitchen to find Maz.

Chewie scoops her up in a big hug, cradling her close and Rey lifts kitty to kiss his cheek and says, “Meow.”

She giggles when Chewie roars back, hiding the kitten under her scarf as he sets her on a seat at the counter and makes her some fluffy scrambled eggs. The eggs are soft, but her throat still burns as she swallows. She finishes the plate and pushes it back to Chewie, holding up both hands to signal all done.

Maz comes in carrying a bag and motions Rey back to her room, laying an outfit on the bed. There is a thick pair of black leggings, a forest green jumper with a white shirt and black ribbon. Maz tips the bag upside down and a package of new undies and thick socks drop on the bed. Maz opens the package then turns to Rey who had laid her scarf on the bed. “Hands up sweet girl.”

Rey lifts her hands and her gown is whipped over her head, then her undies move carefully off as Maz eyes her bruise. The new undies are plain white, but as Maz pulls them up Rey realizes that they are the softest thing she’s ever worn.

Maz helps her button the white blouse, then holds the leggings as Rey steps in and pulls them up. The jumper comes down over her head and buttons at her shoulders, Rey strokes the soft corduroy and smiles. It’s close, but not quite right. Maz whips the black ribbon under her collar, tying it into a bow under her chin then puts socks on her feet and hands her her old sneakers.

They don’t really go with her outfit, but they’re hers. Maz wraps the scarf back around her and kisses her forehead as they hear a knock at the door.

“They’re here,” Chewie calls, peaking in and giving Rey a whistle. “Well aren’t you beautiful sweet Rey.”

Rey signs thank you and takes Maz’s hand as she’s led to an office where Leia is signing papers and Ben is staring out the window.

“Good morning, Rey,” Amilyn says. “Did you rest well?”

Rey signs yes, then adds a thank you.

“Such a sweet girl,” Ben says bending down. “Good morning, I have a couple things for you.” He hands her a box and laughs when she just stares at it. “Go ahead and open it.”

It’s a pair of boots, black leather and he kneels to pull off her sneakers and zip the new shoes up her calves. She stands, twisting this way and that to look at them, then launches herself at Ben, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Now that is the perfect way to say thank you,” he admits, laughing. “Now for the next box, I’d like to make a trade.” He sits her back in her seat and places a red box on her lap and pulls off the lid.

Rey pulls back the pink tissue paper and giggles. It’s a set of mittens, hat and scarf, all white and done in an owl motif. She touches the soft knit amazed at the billowy texture.

“First, I’m going to do something with this hair.” Ben pulls a small brush out of a bag and starts at the ends and works his way up, pulling her hair back from her face and clipping it with a small barrette on both sides.

He then leans down into the box and snatches the hat dramatically, making Rey laugh when he makes a mock attempt to fit the small hat on his large head. “Oh well,” he sighs. I guess you’ll have to wear it.”

He places it on her head, adjusting it slightly then smiles. “Want to see?”

At her nod, he pulls out his phone and opens the camera and flips it to the front, bendinging down to take a picture of the two of them together, then flipping the phone to get a couple of Rey by herself, her face smiling and bright and Rey grabs the phone, poking her little finger at the box in the corner to expand the last picture.

“Okay, Rey, sweetheart… let me tell you what I’ve done.” Leia sits in the chair next to her and takes her hand. “My attorney is petitioning the court this morning to start the adoption process. Amilyn and I have just finished the foster paperwork so that until the adoption goes through you can stay with us legally. Is that okay?”

Rey blinks.

Her mind is not able to…

She looks up at Ben, then back at his mother, making a small okay sign with her hand… then adding a thank you.

She looks down at the picture in her hand, reaching up to feel the embroidered eyes then says, “hoo hoo.”

Ben holds out his hand and she gives him his phone. He looks at it fondly, puts it to sleep and slips it into his coat pocket. He then sets her rainbow scarf aside.

“It’s a cold day today, Rey. So let's put this on you.” He pulls a small coat from the back of the chair in a navy blue and holds for her to put her arms in then kneels to button her up. He picks up the white scarf out of the box. “Can I trade you this one for the rainbow scarf?”

She looks between it and the one on the chair and then nods and he wraps it around her neck, the fluffs her hair. He helps her into her matching mittens then slips on a pair of black leather gloves and holds out his hand for hers.

She looks at the differences and smiles. His hand is large, the leather is glossy and the color is so dark. As opposed to her tiny, textured white mitten and she squeezes him slightly as she smiles up at him.

“Let’s go home.”


	2. New home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben looks on, beaming with pride as his teacher grasps for words, “Miss Rey, however you choose to pursue your education, I would be honored if you would consider me as a tutor.”
> 
> Rey brings her fingers to her chin, then lays it palm up.
> 
> “She says thank you,” Ben interprets. “We really must be going.”
> 
> “I’ll assist you in walking her down. Benjamin, do I need to stress the words cherish and protect?”
> 
> Ben helps her on with her coat, scarf and mittens, “No, Sir. She’s precious, I know it.”

“I have to go back to the office and there’s a benefit tonight. Are you ready?” Leia is looking at him calmly and Ben winks at Rey then faces his mother.

“We will be fine, we are going to grab lunch then head to the Emporium to see Milo.”

“Don’t forget you have an exam at 2pm,” Leia says as the car comes to a stop. She rolls down the window, a man handing her a plain envelope through the crack. “I am proud of you, Benjamin.” 

She hands him the envelope and he withdraws a long black leather bifold wallet. He opens it in his lap, checking the contents then nods. “Thank you, mother,” he smiles, placing it in his breast pocket.

“You are a good man. You have excelled at everything you have tried to this point and this will be no different. Remember, you are allowed to request assistance.”

Ben leans and kisses his mother’s cheek and she taps on the door and leans to Rey. “Listen to Benjamin, Rey. He’s going to be in charge, ok?”

Rey nods then signs thank you.

“You really are a sweet girl,” Leia says gently with a smile then exits the car.

The driver, a short asian looking man named Arthur, runs in to pick up lunch and then drives them to a park where Ben spreads out a blanket on the ground and they eat burgers and fries but end up throwing most of their food to the ducks. Ben tells her of his grandmother bringing him here to feed the ducks when he was her age and how he can’t wait to introduce Rey to his grandparents.

 _The Emporium_ reads the sign over the door in swirling calligraphy. “This is where I found your owl set,” Ben says with a smile as the bell announces their arrival. “The Skywalker family has shopped here for decades. Milo will set us up.”

Rey gasps, mouth hanging wide. The entire shop is full of color; costumes, shoes, accessories and toys. 

“Master Benjamin, back so soon?” The older man who approaches has a kind smile, his eyes widening at the sight of her hiding behind Ben. “And who is this?”

“Milo, I would like to introduce you to my Rey,” Ben says with a smile, encouraging her forward. “Rey, Milo fought alongside my grandfather in the war.”

“Now Benjamin, we do not discuss such ugly topics in front of sweet young things,” Milo starts only to be cut off by Ben’s waving hand.

“My girl is smart, I only meant to point out to her that you’ve been loyal and trustworthy to our family for years. She needs friends she can trust.” Rey pushes her body in tighter to him, uneasy with the scrutiny that comes with the comment. “I was thinking of a stuffie for her to cuddle at night, so she doesn’t feel alone in her new home.”

Milo contemplates Ben for a moment but his serious demeanor quickly melts into a look of abject delight. “Well, little miss Rey, let me show you our beginner stuffies and you can see if Benjamin here approves.”

He guides her back towards the front of the shop. “Now everything on the right side of the store is for rough boys, but here,” he says as he leads her to the left, “this is for little treasures like yourself.”

The shelf had been hidden by the door as they entered, but now Rey has a floor to ceiling view of stuffed animals of every color and size. She’s immediately drawn to one on a higher shelf, but quickly looks away because she’s sure the large ones are expensive. She glances at the shelf on her eye level of kittens, puppies, zoo animals and even sea creatures all in various colors as she walks to the other side of the display but stops. There on a lower shelf, she sees 2 little pink noses peaking out and she drops to her knees to peer under the display. She giggles out loud, petting them with her mitten covered hand.

“Find something, Miss Rey,” Milo asks, dropping to one knee. “Ah, good choice.”

He pulls the pair of bunny slippers out from the display and shows them to Ben who chuckles.

“That is an appropriate choice, my girl is too sweet and easily preyed upon by those who think she’s defenseless.” Ben looks down at her, showing her the slippers. “These?”

She rubs her chest to say please and he smiles then nods to Milo. “Let us have the set.” 

“Well, we have some options for you to choose from,” Milo is saying to Ben as they walk away, leaving Rey to explore. She wanders, captivated by color and texture and pulls off her mittens, stuffing them deep into her coat pockets, so she can touch. 

There is a china tea set that has funny faces on the cups, a parasol in pink lace, a globe of the moon that lights up as a nightlight, little leather boxes that play music when she opens the lids, a long red velvet cape lined in black fur, chess boards with different character sets to choose from and a whole wall of dolls. The dolls are the least interesting thing in the store to Rey and she barely spares them a notice. Then, out of the corner of her eye she sees a dressing room area with a small raised platform in the middle, surrounded by mirrors and lights. There’s a sofa facing the mirrors, but Rey only notices that because she bumps into it, completely distracted by the displays. There are 4 of them, each with a mythical creature woven into a tapestry behind. 

The first is a white gown, trimmed in silver with airy fabrics that float around the mannequin like a cloud standing in front of a banner of a unicorn.

The second is a silky sheath of deep blues, turquoise and dark greens with no sleeves and gossamer wrap, the image of a mermaid ready for battle peers over costume as if guarding it.

The third is a more simple dress of cream brown and green that blends in so well with it’s tapestry that Rey thinks it’s part of the tree, with it’s impish fairy laughing at her.

But it’s the fourth gown that she reaches for, with it’s reds, oranges, purples and golds. It’s a structured dress with gold thread running over the seams like little flames.

“Ah, the Phoenix,” Milo states behind her. “Deceptively delicate, strong, capable, adaptable, defender of those she loves… yes, Miss Rey, that is an admirable goal.”

Rey turns to find Ben looking at her with a strange look on his face, but gets distracted because behind him is a looming shadow and Rey tilts her head, moving closer to get a better look. There is a dressing room on the boy’s side too which lights up as she approaches the area. The dragon looks black at first glance, but as she gets closer she sees a rainbow of colors among the scales.

Milo laughs, “She’s a Skywalker all right. That’s Lord Aniken’s dragon, Miss Rey. Master Benjamin’s grandfather. He told me the tapestry was pretentious, so here it sits.”

She reaches for Ben’s hand and squeezes, looking up at him with a smile.

“Excuse me, Master Benjamin. You have an exam at 2, we are very close to being late,” Arthur says from the door.

“Yes, we are ready.” Ben bends down to help her with her mittens then stands to shake Milo’s hand. “Thank you.”

“The pleasure is mine.” Milo bows his head then turns to Rey. “It was so nice to meet you, little Miss.”

Rey smiles and signs thank you then waves as Ben leads her back to the car. “He rarely warms up to anyone so fast, I think he likes you.” Ben carefully buckles her seatbelt, then fastens his own.

“My exam shouldn’t take long, it was the only thing that couldn’t be rescheduled today.” Ben looks out the window and she takes the opportunity to study his face.

He has unusual features, a prominent nose, brow and jaw with a splattering of moles, and she’s not quite sure what color his eyes are with their flecks of brown, green and blue. He catches her staring and smiles.

“I’ve always thought I was funny looking, what do you think,” he asks with an odd look in his eye.

Rey leans forward as far as her seatbelt will allow, looking over his brow and down his nose to his lips. He’s older than her but how much, she wonders and she tilts her head in question, pointing to herself then raising 6 fingers then pointing to him.

“I’m 16, that’s the youngest we are allowed to bring someone into the family.” He’s watching her closely to gauge her reaction and her mind has lots and lots of questions, but she’s not about to risk speaking. He seems to sense that and elaborates, “I couldn’t leave you there, you’re too gentle and good and they were all jealous of you.”

She thinks about that wondering how could they be jealous when she had nothing?

“Rey.” He leans forward to take her hand. “I’ve been alone most of my life, you’ll see. My mother is always at work or some sort of social function and my father, well, he comes around when duty calls to meet my mother’s needs but he’s… different. Perhaps it was selfish of me to want you with me, but there was something…”

His voice trails off as the car stops and they hear Arthur leave the front seat to come around and to open the door for them. Ben reaches to release her seatbelt then pulls her into his lap.

“Stay with me. Please.”

He looks so lost that she wraps her arms around his neck and kisses his cheek.

“Kisses are a gift, Rey, thank you. Do me a favor though, save them until you get to know someone really well, there are monsters in the world and they do not deserve you or your kisses.”

She closes her eyes, her face in his neck. She’s very much aware of the monsters that exist. She starts when Ben taps on the glass, signaling Arthur to open the door.

Ben exits first, looking around then extends a hand to help her out, leading her quickly into a side door and down a narrow hall to an elevator. He waits until the doors close to speak.

“Rey, there are going to be times when I do not introduce you to people by name. It will be on purpose. Try to keep your eyes down and do not respond if they try to talk to you.” He squeezes her hand and she looks to the floor as the door opens. They walk out into a large open room with shelves lining the walls. It’s a library, Rey looks around in wonder.

“I like books too,” Ben whispers as he leads her across the room. Several students look up to mark their passing, but find something else to be interested in the moment Ben takes notice. He leads her up a small set of steps, past a hallway of doors to an office. 

“Benjamin Solo for Professor Tarkin,” he tells the secretary who is looking at the pair with noticeable interest.

The door opens and a man walks out with a file, “Emily, this is the wrong,” he looks at Benjamin, smiling slightly in greeting then his eyes drop to Rey and he motions them into the office, looking around the halls to note who is present.

Ben takes Rey’s coat, scarf and gloves, placing them on a coat rack next to his own. “Rey, this is Professor Wilhuff Tarkin, he looks scary, but he’s really not. He’s another friend of my grandfather’s. Professor, this is my Rey. She likes puzzles.”

“Does she? Well, I’ll have to give her some while you take your exam.” The professor motions Ben over to a table then goes to a painting behind his desk and pulls it away from the wall. Rey watches as he punches a code into a keypad to slide the panel up to reveal… books? He pulls one with a navy blue binding with gold inlay from the upper shelf, pausing when Ben requests a Crimson insert, turning to look at Rey with interest. He keys in another code that opens a drawer, running his fingers through it then pulls a small book that’s color reminds Rey of blood. He then shuts the safe and passes both items to Ben and sets a timer. 

Then he goes to his desk and pulls a tablet, opening an app that shows her multiple sets of color dots on a grid. When she draws a line between the two green dots, the path through the boxes lights up green. Then she connects the blue, but when she goes to connect the yellow, it will not let her cross the lines she’s already made. She taps the blue and green dots and the lines disappear, and she begins again, easily connecting all three sets of dots. The next page has three sets of dots too and she easily repeats, rolling her eyes at how easy it is, but the page will not advance, highlighting the empty boxes without a line. Okay. She lists her parameters: fill every box, don’t cross lines. The levels progress adding more sets of colors and larger grids and 15 minutes later the pad beeps and goes dark. The Professor reaches over her shoulder and opens another app, “Here, try this one my dear.”

Rey remembers this one, it’s pattern recognition and she sets the pad down, the sequences untouched. She looks up at Ben, his face twisted in concentration on his paper, then scans the room. There’s a chess set in the corner and she finds herself picking up the black queen before she considers she might not be allowed to touch.

“Do you play,” the professor asks kindly as she replaces the piece and shakes her head. “Benjamin is an excellent player.” 

She glances his way, catching his eye as he smiles at her before refocusing on his task, then moves to a set of wooden boxes. “Those are puzzles as well, they have combinations to open and some even have secret compartments.”

 _Yes, I know._ She moves away quickly then notices colors.

There’s a cube… each side divided into 9 with 6 different colors and the professor picks it up, twisting and turning it to arrange 3 white squares in a stripe down the middle. “The goal is to separate each color to 1 side of the cube.” He hands it to her and she sits in a chair, staring at each side, rolling it over and over in her hands.

She blinks when Ben’s timer goes off and the professor moves to discuss the exam with his pupil, but remains focused on her hands, barely aware of their discussions.

“Spacial awareness… pattern… flowers… texture… focused… hide… wonder… milo… knows… who… doctor...”

“Rey,” Ben calls, touching her arm to attract her attention. “It’s time to go.”

She nods, looking down at the cube in her hands moving the sides quickly with a few twists and turns. She smiles, handing it back to the professor with the sides containing 6 complete colors.

Ben looks on, beaming with pride as his teacher grasps for words, “Miss Rey, however you choose to pursue your education, I would be honored if you would consider me as a tutor.”

Rey brings her fingers to her chin, then lays it palm up.

“She says thank you,” Ben interprets. “We really must be going.”

“I’ll assist you in walking her down. Benjamin, do I need to stress the words cherish and protect?”

Ben helps her on with her coat, scarf and mittens, “No, Sir. She’s precious, I know it.”

Tarkin opens the door, looking out then escorts them down a different hall to a service elevator. “I think I will give my old friend a call.”

Ben groans, “Can you wait a couple days? I’d like for her to get settled first.”

“I can encourage that as well, dear boy.”

Ben glares at him, opening his jacket to pull out the black leather wallet and lay it open.

“Forgive me, Master Benjamin. I only wish you success and Miss Rey’s as well.”

Rey watches as Benjamin returns the wallet to his jacket then nods and reaches out for her hand. She takes it and squeezes lightly, looking up into his face trying to get him to smile, but the door opens and Tarkin after looking out suggests, “I recommend carrying her to the car.”

Ben bends and picks Rey up, her face tucked into his neck as her arms wrap his shoulders. “Don’t kick Lil bit,” He says as he grasps her to his chest and heads for the door. She can hear voices but closes her eyes, trusting Ben to care for her as they go outside and he bends to set her inside the car, get in, the door slamming shut to faces she does not know.

“It’s okay, Rey.” She doesn’t know why he seems so tense, or why her hands are shaking as he sets her across from him in her booster and buckles her in. “Take us home, Arthur.”

The car moves away from the curve but the tension stays and Rey leans to look out the windows. “Sit back, Lil bit.”

Rey immediately sits back and sits still as possible, shrinking into her seat and Ben leans forward, “We will be home soon, Rey. We will be safe then, I promise.”

“At least 3, Master Benjamin,” Arthur says from the front and Ben pulls out his phone.

He winks at her with a small smile as he waits, “Report.”

He leans forward, his palm outstretched towards her and she puts his mittened hand in his, smiling when his thumb rubs her knuckles. “Can you identify?”

Rey watches as amusement floods his face and the tension evaporates. “Straight home, Arthur.”

“As you wish, Master Benjamin.” The glass between them and the driver raises behind her head and Ben hangs up the phone. 

“To be a Skywalker is to live under scrutiny from society, from the press, and you wouldn’t believe how competitive it can be at the company. Luckily, there are rules to protect children from most of the mess.”

He says the last with a hint of bitterness, looking out the window and Rey wishes she could hug him tight. He seems so… lonely. 

She understands loneliness, the hollowness that is never filled. Maybe. Maybe now, they can have each other. With the tension gone, her eyelids get heavy and she lets out a deep sigh as she relaxes in her seat, the motion of the vehicle rocking her gently. She is not aware of the car slowing, or making the sharp turn into the driveway, or even when it comes to a stop.

“Hey Lil bit,” Ben says as he kisses her cheek. He’s carrying her in a door, then kneels to sit her on a bench. “Come on sweetheart, I know it’s been a long day already. We could both use a nap, but we should get comfortable first.”

He’s pulling off her mittens, hat and scarf to place in a basket, then unbuttons her coat and removes her boots. “Do you need to potty?”

She nods, yawning and lets him lead her to a small powder room, pulling down her leggings and climbing up on the toilet. He returns with a small stool that he places in front of the sink then removes his coat, hanging it beside hers in the small closet.

She’s struggling to pull her leggings up her tiny legs when he returns. “Just pull them off Lil bit, we are home for the night, no need to stay so formally dressed, let me go get you something comfortable to nap in.”

Rey pushes them back down, sitting on the floor to pull them off her feet, then steps on the stool to wash her hands, looking around for a towel.

“Oh hell, hold on Rey,” Ben laughs, grabbing another bag and pulling a towel from it. “I’m sorry the cottage isn’t set up yet, I didn’t know what you’d like, so I asked mom to help with the basics.”

She dries her hands then pushes the towel into the bar on the wall, pulling the corners until they match then smiles up at Ben.

“My girl likes order, huh? Well, after we nap we will tackle the mess in the living room.” He leads her down the hall into a small kitchen with a couple of stools at the counter. There are boxes and bags on every surface, including the living room.

Ben clears off a large oversized chaise and sits, he dumps a bag of clothing on the end and leans to remove the ribbon at her neck. “Pick a color, these are all cotton and should be good for everyday around the house.”

Rey reaches for the pile, the dresses are so soft and she pulls a dark blue dress that’s decorated in moons and stars. She shrugs off the jumper after Ben unbuttons the shoulders and it falls to the floor. Tears well when Ben opens her blouse and curses under his breath at her protruding ribs and he slips the dress over her head in a hurry.

“Listen to me,” Ben pulls her up into his arms and lays back on the chaise. “I have a doctor’s appointment for you tomorrow. Dr Cecil has been with my… our family since before my mother was born. He will tell us how to get you healthy, ok?” He cuddles her close, pulling a blanket over her to keep her warm. “Rest now, Lil bit. I’ll make us some dinner.”

Rey doesn’t mean to sleep, but she’s startled awake when the doorbell rings. Ben puts his knife down from where he’d been chopping vegetables and heads for the door, drying his hands.

“Oh! Hello,” she hears him say and hears a reply, but can’t quite make out the voice. “Yes, I was expecting her, but why are you here,” Ben says plainly and the reply sounds amused.

When Ben returns, he’s followed by two guests. The first is a young woman dressed in medical scrubs, carrying a familiar tray and that’s enough to have Rey pulling her blanket in close.

The man, however, has her sinking back into her seat. He’s almost as tall as Ben and has wrinkles cut deep into his face, his eyes sharp, like a bird’s, seeing everything.

“Rey, the nurse is here from Dr Cecil’s office to get some blood for your tests.” Ben sits and pulls her into his lap as the woman comes and gently takes Rey’s arm.

Rey barely gives her notice, whimpering slightly when she feels the needle’s pinch. No, her focus is locked on the unknown man, he’s too quiet, too still in his assessment of the exchange.

The nurse finishes, placing a cool pad over her owie and tells Ben, “Leave this on for about 10-15 minutes. It’s reusable, just stick it in the freezer.”

“Thank you,” Ben nods and holds Rey close as the woman lets herself out. 

The man draws closer and Rey grips Ben’s arm under the blanket in distress. “She didn’t speak to the nurse.”

“She rarely speaks at all, but I told her earlier to not respond to anyone I didn’t introduce to her by name.” Ben picks her up, blanket and all and takes her to the kitchen, placing her on a stool. He slides her a small plate of raw vegetables. “Do you want some ranch, sweetheart?”

Rey shakes her head no, nibbling on a cucumber slice as the man crosses to the stove to look into a pot.

“You’re cooking?” The man cracks a smile and bends to smell the aroma.

“Spaghetti is not hard,” Ben teases back. “Even you can make it, if I remember correctly.”

The old man chuckles, sneaking a glance at Rey before making a request, “If you please, MASTER Benjamin.”

“Perhaps,” Ben replies coyly. “If you join us for dinner.”

The man straightens, looking at Ben like a proud father, then pulls a black box out of his coat pocket and sets it on the counter.

Ben stares at the box for a moment while Rey moves on to her carrots, his hand trembling slightly as he reaches for it. When he lifts the lid, Rey leans forward, curious as to what would bring such a reaction. It looks like a bowl? A cup?

Ben lifts the small red cup in his hand, turning it to examine the pattern. “Rey, this is called a _chawan_. Traditionally, it’s a Japanese tea bowl. In our family it’s a right of passage, it shows that I am responsible to provide for another, namely you.”

He hands the bowl to her and she too looks at the pattern, rolling it in her hands then places it on the table between them. She looks up into his face, then looks to the old man. They both are looking at her, clearly waiting for something, the look in Ben’s eyes though… fear?

Fear of what?

Rejection?

Rey smiles gently at her Ben, raising her fingers to her chin and sweeping her palm down. _Thank you._

Ben exhales, relieved. “Miss Rey, may I introduce you to Vanee. He’s my grandparent’s steward and took care of me often when I was your age.”

Vanee comes to sit on the stool next to hers, folding his arms on the counter, “It is my pleasure Miss Rey. Thank you for sharing your dinner with me.”

Rey smiles at him and wonders at this family that has such sweet monsters in men. Milo, Tarkin and now this Vanee, they were all scary, but she got the feeling that they would all use it in her defense. She looks at Ben, these were his teachers, would her Ben become a sweet monster too?

She looks back at the _chawan_ , Ben is now responsible for her. So many questions, she needs to ask, but she’s still not sure if she dares.

Ben sets a bowl of spaghetti in front of her. “Sauce on you noodles Lil bit?”

She nods and he pours a ladle of the meat sauce. It smells so good. Vanee helps stir it together as she blows at the steam. She picks up her spoon and takes a bite. _Hot._ She breathes over it in her mouth, squeezing her hand to ask for milk.

Ben quickly pours her a glass and she takes a long drink.

“Sign language,” Vanee asks, twisting his uncut spaghetti around his fork.

“It seemed a good idea at the time. She was on the verge of refusing food or crying. She has made a couple animal noises, so her voice works.” Ben winks at her with a smile.

“Meow,” she whispers then shoves a bite in her mouth.

Vanee nods, and silence falls for a while as they enjoy their food.

“Nana sent you,” Ben finally asks.

“Yes.”

Rey's stomach starts to feel queasy again, still not used to full meals, so she stops eating and finishes her milk, then splays her finger wide, twisting her hands.

“You didn’t eat much,” Ben says gently, shaking his head as she points to the empty plate where her raw veggies had been. “Okay, okay. Do you want to check out the packages in your room while we finish?”

Rey nods, rubbing her chest then giggles when he reaches to help her to the floor, kissing his cheek.

She skips around the sofa to the only hall she hasn’t been in yet and looks at the single door confused but reaches for the handle and pushes it open.

It’s a large room with a very large 4 poster bed, desk and a pair of reading chairs in the corner with a game table and a floor lamp. On the wall to the left is another door and she pushes it open to find a bathroom, she spins and sees another double set of doors on the far side of the room and crosses, looking for a door knob, but there is only an indent on both doors, barely finger deep and she places her fingers in, pushing and it moves. Not in, but to the side it slides and she wraps her fingers in the crack and pushes it open.

This room is smaller and full of light from the window’s open shutters. In the center of a big bay window is a metal framed daybed, loaded with pillows. In the corner to one side is the large bunny she had seen on the high shelf at the Emporium, sitting as big as she is tall, it’s ears hanging down in its face. Between its legs is another bunny, just big enough to fit in her arms. Her slippers are under her bed and a robe hangs from a peg in the wall. A floor to ceiling mirror stands near a small dresser. There’s a table with two chairs near a small book shelf that has pads of paper and art supplies on the lower shelf, the top shelf lined with books.

She slips her feet into her slippers, then puts her robe over her dress, pulling up the hood to look at her ears in the mirror. There are bags from stores and boxes to open, but she wants to thank Ben for her bunnies so she scoops up her stuffie and heads back out into the kitchen.

Vanee notices her return first with a huge smile. “Well aren’t you the sweetest little piece of fluff?”

She repeatedly signs thank you with one hand, clutching the fluffy bunny to her chest with the other, laughing brightly, as Ben scoops her up into a close cuddle.

“Everyone needs a stuffie when they are small, it’ll help keep you warm too.” He kisses her forehead as there is a knock on the door. “Vanee, would you mind asking them to wait a moment. I need to discuss this with Rey.”

Vanee moves to the front hall, out of sight as Ben sits them both on the chair. 

“There is going to be one more permanent member to our household, Lil bit. When I was 12, I had to prove that I could be responsible by taking care of a pet. My grandfather gave me a dog and I named him Kylo. Rey, I need you to understand the reason he gave me a dog is because one day he knew I’d want someone to love. I have trained Kylo for 4 years now. He’s a guard dog and an emotional companion. I didn’t know at the time that it would be you that I would bring home, but I want you safe and happy. So, while technically he’s mine, practically Kylo belongs to you.”

Rey puts her hand on his cheek, he looks nervous again. Why is he nervous? Her tummy cramps slightly and she winces, laying her head against his chest.

She can hear a whimper from the door and turns her head, looking for the source.

“Kylo can sense that you are upset. Have you ever met a dog before?”

She nods absently, standing in the seat to try to look over the back of the couch.

“Vanee, let him come. Kylo, here.”

What trots around the sofa is NOT a dog, it’s a small black pony and her bunny falls to the floor as Rey climbs behind Ben’s back while Vanee laughs in the doorway.

“Sit.” Ben points to the floor and the huge monster sits, his ears pointed straight up. “Rey, he’s not going to hurt you. He’s a Great Dane, they’re sweethearts. He’s a big baby.”

Rey clings to him, her arms wrapped around his neck from behind as she furiously shakes her head no.

Ben sighs, “Looks like you’re going to have to sweet talk her, boy. Tend.”

Kylo drops to the floor, low crawling to her bunny and she whines, pointing at the toy as the big black mouth opens to devour it. 

But he doesn’t, Kylo gently picks up the bunny and trots around the chaise to drop it by her side then lays his head on the seat, looking up at her with sad eyes.

Rey clutches her bunny tight, checking it for owies. 

“I think you are hurting his feelings, Rey. He’s been wanting to meet you.” Ben takes her hand and kisses it, then stretches it out for Kylo to sniff. “This is our Rey, Kylo. Protect.”

Kylo licks her hand then sniffs up her arm to her neck as Rey squeals in laughter, pushing him away.

“Anton, come here please.” Ben says towards the hall and another man appears behind Vanee. This one is rugged, wide shouldered and has curly hair on his head.

“Miss Rey, this is Anton. He’s one of our security team, over the next several days you will meet all 6 of them. If he, or any of the others, ever comes to you and says that he’s taking you to Kylo, you are to go with him without a fuss. Do you understand?”

Rey absently reaches for the dog, looking Anton over silently then looks at Ben and nods.

“This is important, Rey.” Ben is back to being nervous, but she already agreed. How is she going to convince him that she understands?

She maneuvers to her knees and wraps her arms around his neck to whisper in his ear, “Okay, Ben.”

She feels him nod to Anton and hears the front door close as Ben holds her tightly to him. She strokes his hair and hums twinkle twinkle to him and feels his chest shake as he chuckles.

“A good schedule is highly recommended, Master Benjamin. You need an assistant and a domestic, would you like me to assist?”

Vanee’s face is soft, his eyes remarkably fond of her Ben and he winks at Rey as she lays her head on Ben’s shoulder.

“Mom is sending her maids on rotation for the next couple of weeks and I have a couple applicants for assistant in mind already, they’re both available tomorrow afternoon to interview, depending on how long Rey’s appointment goes.” Ben looks down at her, then kisses her forehead. “Time for a bath, go find the bag that has your nightgowns in it please.”

Rey starts for the bedroom, then turns and runs to Vanee, hugging his waist.

“Good night, sweet Miss.”

She goes through Ben’s room to reach hers, Kylo following to sit in her doorway. She peeks in the bags, trying to find a nightgown. She finds shoes, she stacks those boxes under her bed. She finds panties and undershirts, she pushes that bag towards the dresser. She finds long socks and anklet socks trimmed in lace. She finds more hats and mittens sets. Sweaters, skirts, pants, a raincoat, sweatpants and tops then, she finds several dark blue bags with boxes in them. 

She opens one of the large boxes, pulls back the tissue to find an embroidered sleeve laying on top of what she thinks might be a dress, not the big boxes then.

She opens a small box and pulls back the tissue and sees only white cloth. She pulls it out and turns it, holding it up to look. 

“That’s pretty,” Ben says from the door. “My mother must have picked the nightgowns, she always says a young girl should sleep in white cotton. If you prefer shorts or pajamas, we can order some.”

She holds the gown to her and looks in the mirror, it’s long with long sleeves. It’s much nicer than anything she’s ever worn before and she smiles up at Ben.

“Your bath water is almost ready, would you like bubbles?”

Rey rubs her chest and follows him to the bathroom watching closely as he pours bubbles into the claw foot tub. She sets her robe aside and toes off her slippers. Then lifts her arms for him to pull the dress over her head. 

“Where are your panties?” He laughs at her blush as she shrugs, thinking about the leggings she took off in the powder room. He picks her up and sets her in the water, turning it off when it hits her sternum. 

He reaches for her hair, pulling out the barrettes and then reaches for a small hand held and pushes the release to rinse her hair. 

Rey closes her eyes, enjoying the feeling of his fingers in her hair and recognizes the scent of the shampoo as his. “I’ll make you an appointment with a stylist. You have some split ends. She might change your products too, my hair has a different texture than yours.” 

He rinses the shampoo then coats her ends in a conditioner, using a clip to pin it up.

“Rey, do you feel safe here?”

She looks at his face while he stays focused on her hair and smiles, nodding silently.

The corner of his mouth quirks up in a small smile, “I want you to feel safe. That’s why no one can get to your room without going through mine. That’s why I trained Kylo. Why we have our own security team… well, that’s not the entire reason. My family is wealthy, that makes us a target for all sorts of things, but I’m not going to let that touch you.”

He lathers up a cloth and washes her back, her arms, under her chin and down her belly then reaches for her feet, tickling them then working his way up her legs.

“Kneel up, Lil bit.” He supports her around her back as she lifts out of the water, looking sad at her prominent ribs as he rounds the cloth over her hips and between her legs, then switches it to the other hand to wash her bottom. “Down.”

She sinks back into the water, and rinses off the soap as he wrings out the water from the cloth then throws it into a hamper.

“Would you like to soak or get out?”

She lays back, pulling some bubbles up to her neck and smiles back as he grins at her. He pulls off his shirt and drops it in the hamper on the way to a closet, returning in a pair of sleep pants and a faded concert tee to pull the plug.

“Let’s rinse now,” he says, pulling the clip from her hair as he pushes the button on the handheld, rinsing the conditioner then bubbles down her body as she stands out of the draining bath water.

Finally satisfied, he grabs a towel and wraps her in it, lifting to set her on the counter. He grabs another towel and presses the water out of her hair.

“Would you like me to read to you before bed or would you rather ask a question?”

She considers as he pats her dry enough to pull her nightgown over her head, puts her slippers on her feet then he stands her on a stool in front of a sink and hands her a toothbrush. 

“Hum your ABCs twice,” he tells her as he plugs in a hairdryer and works on her hair.

She has so many questions, but he said ‘a question’, so that meant she could only ask one. He said she was safe and she believes him. She has her own room, and clothes and Kylo. For anyone to get to her room, they have to pass him. Yes, he’s serious about taking care of her and keeping her safe. 

Why?

That would be a good question, but she knows that answer because she’s been lonely too.

She still wonders if she’s going to be able to help, she doesn’t have anything he might want… unless…

Ben turns off the dryer and sprays the ends of her hair, then combs out the tangles. 

She takes the cup of water on the sink and swishes her mouth and spits into the sink, drying her mouth with a towel as he braids her hair.

She uses the potty, wondering why there are two, then washes her hands, grabbing her robe and putting the hood over her head as Ben finishes brushing his teeth.

She yawns and heads for the door, coming eye to eye with Kylo. _He’s huge,_ she thinks as she pushes past him and heads to her bed. She’s trying to hang her robe on its peg when Ben helps her, lifting the hood to cover it.

He picks her up and holds her close, sitting on the edge of her bed. “Amilyn told me you need to be held everyday. If you ever need more, you just climb into my lap, okay?”

She nods, relaxing against him.

“Ben?” She can feel him smile at her small voice. “How long are you going to keep me?”

He tenses, holding her tighter. “However long you will let me, I want to love you.”

He pulls down her covers, tucks her in, handing her the bunny as he kisses her forehead.

She wraps her hands up around his neck and pulls down, holding him close. “I want to love you too,” she whispers into his ear.

He lifts his face to look into hers, their noses touching as his eyes well with tears. 

He smiles, “need a night light?”

At her nod he goes to her dresser and flips a switch on a small moon that sits on the top, then flips off the lights.

“I’ll be right here if you need me.” He smiles as she yawns then slides one side of the door closed, leaving the other ajar.

She watches through the opening as he moves around the room, hears him walk down the hall towards the kitchen, probably to clean up.

Kylo puts his head on her bed, then jumps up at the foot, laying on her feet, his head pointed at her waist. She reaches down to rub his ears and smiles. _He really is a big baby._

She listens for sounds of Ben’s presence, wondering what he is doing and exhales when she sees the bathroom light turn off, leaving only the lamp beside his bed. She watches as he climbs under his covers, opening a book to read, occasionally glancing up at her. Her eyelids grow heavy and she turns, away from the door, burying herself in pillows as her mind drifts off into sleep.


	3. The Weird Doctor Visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Now Miss Rey, I have to give you a little warning about Dr Cecil, he’s a little… eccentric.”
> 
> She looks at him confused.
> 
> “Peculiar.”
> 
> She looks at Ben and he shakes his head. “He is a little weird.”

Rey wakes to the sound of rain on the roof and stretches, her little fist hitting something solid.

“Ouch”

She turns on her pillow to see Ben looking at her grumpily with one eye open.

“You, Lil Bit, are a bed hog,” he grouches, pulling the covers over his head.

Rey sits up, looking around the room, confused as to why she’s not in her daybed, and where is her bunny? She peaks over the side, looking down to see Kylo curled around the stuffie and gives a huff.

“What’s wrong?” Ben leans over to her edge and laughs. “He just likes it because it smells like you.”

He wraps his arm around her waist and pulls her in tight for a morning cuddle, looking into her eyes. “Good morning, my Rey. I love you,”” he whispers with a shy grin.

She rubs the tip of her nose against his then kisses it, nodding her agreement as she pokes her fingers in his hair. They lay there, looking at each other until the alarm goes off, causing Ben to roll and slide off the bed to silence it.

“Rey, how long have you had nightmares?”

She freezes, looking away. She runs away from the monsters in her dreams. She can feel them breathing on her neck, they are so close. She closes her eyes and shudders.

“You are safe here,” his voice breaks and she opens her eyes to see tears in his. “Still, I am glad you ran to me. Amilyn wants you to continue your visits and after last night, I agree. What do you think?”

She doesn’t answer, just hugs her pillow close. Kylo whimpers, jumping up on the bed, dropping the bunny in Rey’s arms and sits close.

“Think about it while I shower, can you go get me the  _ chawan  _ please?”

She slides off the bed, Kylo following her to the kitchen where she finds the bowl on the center island. She turns it in her hands, smiling at the pattern then takes it to Ben, who is making up the bed.

“Thank you. There are 3 decorator boards in front of the fireplace if you want to look at it. I wanted to keep it neutral but Amilyn and Maz say you like color. I’ll make breakfast when I’m done.” He closes the bathroom door behind him, clicking the lock for privacy.

She returns to her room and slips on her slippers, then tries to straighten up her knotted up covers. It’s not as pretty as it was yesterday, but at least the front edge is even. 

She grabs bunny and heads to the fireplace to see what Ben was talking about and sees pictures of the living room in 3 different arrangements. The existing furniture has different colors and textures, with new carpets and pillows and other decor pieces attached to the boards.

Rey looks at the furniture in the room. The brown leather sofa, the chaise is covered in a soft cream color, the ottoman has exposed wooden legs but an upholstered top in a skin of some type. There’s nothing wrong with any of them. She looks at the board, fingering the sofa picture and realizes it’s on velcro. They’re all on velcro. 

She laughs, pulling the pieces off and starts with the furniture, as is and builds out from other suggestions from 2 of the boards. The third board isn’t worth touching, too bright for Ben, except for the plants. She grabs that and adds it to her board. She likes puzzles, this is fun. She only likes 2 of the paint colors, so she leaves the other 3 blank.

“Well that’s different,” Ben says from behind her. He’s dressed in slacks and a sweater and carrying the  _ chawan  _ to the kitchen. “Oatmeal for breakfast? It’s cold and wet outside today.”

She nods, playing with her pieces.

“I laid out some clothes for you on the bed. Put your nightgown in the laundry hamper please.”

She jumps up and runs to the bedroom, pulling the gown off over her head and dumping it in the hamper on her way to the potty. She washes her hands then ditches her slippers to pull on her panties and leggings, sitting to pull them over the ankles. The dress is purple and long sleeved and she sticks her head in the hole, then notices the tag is in front and twists it around until she can put her arms in the correct holes. She smooths the dress down, excited to find it has two little pockets sewn into the front. The last piece is a long variegated sweater that has one big button in the front. She grabs her socks, slipping her feet back into her slippers and heads back to the kitchen.

“You look beautiful today, my Rey.” Ben smiles as he lifts her into her seat at the island, placing a bowl of oatmeal in front of her.

She starts to eat as he pulls out a tablet. “Okay, so we are due at Dr Cecil’s at 9am. They are clearing the floor for us, so it shouldn’t be like the library yesterday. We have a meeting with the entire security team at 10, they’ll meet us there. There are 2 applicants for my assistant, I’d like you to sit in on those discussions. My assistant will be in and out of our home, you need to be comfortable with him. Anyway, that will be around lunch sometime. We will see how you feel before we let anything else on the schedule today.”

He pours her a glass of milk, watching closely as she eats. “Is it good?”

She smiles with a nod, licking her lips. 

Ben quickly puts the milk back in the fridge, pulling out some juice and chugs from the carton.

Rey laughs and he looks at her embarrassed. “I guess I shouldn’t do that anymore.”

Rey shrugs, pointing to the glasses and he pulls one down off the shelf and pours her some juice. 

“You sure you want it?”

She nods, drinking it all in a big chug, pushing it and the bowl towards him.

“Well at least you finished it all. I know Chewie makes good oatmeal.”

She signs thank you and finishes her milk as Ben eats his breakfast.

She watches as he washes the dishes in the sink, placing them in the drainer with the  _ chawan. _

“Do you want to wear your boots again today?” He sets her on the floor and she heads to the bench in the hall to change her shoes as he pulls their coats. He’s putting on her mittens as Arthur knocks on the door and she takes his hand and steps under the umbrella.

Ben helps her in the car, then whistles for Kylo, who bounds in to sit beside Rey as Ben has a word with Anton, then gets in the car. “Let’s go, Arthur.”

  
  


The car comes to a stop and he reaches to pull Rey into his lap, glancing to make sure Anton is scouting ahead. “Rey, I want you to listen to me.”

She turns her little face up to him, her eyes questioning.

“We are always honest with the doctor. He keeps us healthy. It’s his job to ask questions we do not want to answer, this is the place we answer. Do you understand? Your health is not negotiable. Do you know what negotiable means?”

Rey shakes her head, pulling off her mitten to reach up and cup his cheek.

“It means up for discussion or trade for anything else we might think is more important. I read your medical report from Jakku, you almost died. I need you with me,” he implores. “Please promise me, we listen to the doctor.”

Rey holds up her pinky and nods her head, smiling when his huge pinkie wraps around hers. She places her palm in the middle of his, he’s so big.

“My Lil bit,” Ben says softly, holding her close as their car is surrounded by men in dark gear. “The entire security team is with us today, I’ll introduce you while we wait for the doctors to consult.”

She looks out the door and sees Anton returning and Ben knocks on the window, setting her on the seat beside him. “Always let me out first, Rey. I’ll make sure we are safe before you leave the car.” Ben steps out, angles towards Anton for a moment then turns and reaches for her.

Rey leans out and he lifts her by the waist to set her up on the curb, then takes her hand. Anton leads the way and Rey leans close to her Ben as the other 5 men surround them on the walk to the door.

Vanee is waiting for them at the elevator and Ben squeezes her hand, but otherwise shows no reaction.

“Good morning, Master Benjamin and to you, Miss Rey.” Vanee smiles down at her and she beams up at him, grateful to see another familiar face.

“You didn’t have to come,” Benjamin mutters under his breath as the elevator door closes.

“I am the only man in town other than your uncle on your list, would you rather he have a reason to be here?” Vanee places a hand on Ben’s shoulder and Rey sees him exhale a tension he did not know to have.

“Thank you.”

Vanee winks at her. “Now Miss Rey, I have to give you a little warning about Dr Cecil, he’s a little… eccentric.”

She looks at him confused.

“Peculiar.”

She looks at Ben and he shakes his head. “He is a little weird.”

There is a nurse in scrubs, wearing a mask waiting for them when the doors open. “Lord Vanee,” She says, bowing her head. “The suite is ready, if your charges could move to the dressing room.”

Ben looks towards Vanee, rolling his eyes, but says nothing as he escorts Rey to the dressing room.

As they approach the door, the hair on Kylo’s back raises, a low growl in his throat as he presses Rey behind Ben with his body. 

“Close your eyes, Lil Bit.” Ben warns as he stops.

Rey closes her eyes tight, puts her fingers in her ears and curls down against the wall, making herself small. 

A memory of the man’s voice bursts to the front of her mind.

_ Under a dome of white jasmine _

_ With the roses entwined together _

_ On a river bank covered with flowers laughing in the morning _

_ Gently floating on it's charming risings _

_ On the river's current _

_ On the shining waves _

_ One hand reaches _

_ Reaches for the bank _

_ Where the spring sleeps and _

_ The birds, the birds sing. _

_ Under a dome of white jasmine _

_ Ah! calling us _

_ Together! _

“Rey, come back to me Rey…” She opens her eyes to find Ben’s filled with worry.

Then she notices that they are no longer in the hall and twists to examine the room. It’s decorated in blues and golds with a small sitting area, Vanee is sitting across a low table. There’s an open door on one wall, obviously a bathroom. There’s a small kitchenette, a table with 4 chairs and on the back wall a row of tall cabinets. She twists in Ben’s lap to look behind her and finds Anton leaning against the door to the hall, and his lips are moving.

“... actually beneficial in a crisis, made herself small and quiet. She also just scanned this room like a pro.”

“Tarkin said her spacial awareness was high for someone so young.”

“You had her assessed?”

“Observed only.”

“It’s a common enough attribute for anyone who has survived trauma,” Anton’s eyes drop to hers and he winks.

Rey hides her face in Ben’s shirt and he chuckles.

“Anton’s a bit of a flirt, Rey. Don’t take him seriously.” He kisses her head and rocks her.

Vanee regards her closely as she clings to Ben. “Milo commented on how she looked over the shop, she gravitated towards the complex items.”

“Bunnies are complex?” Anton scoffs.

Ben’s mentor crosses to her, cupping her face to direct her gaze to his. “A bunny is soft and sweet, but it also knows it’s prey. You will not be prey forever, dear girl. We will help you.”

Anton checks when there’s a knock at the door, then opens to allow the nurse access. “Here you are, my Lord.” She hands him 2 blue packages then adds, “They are ready for them in radiology.”

“We will be right there,” Vanee replies, setting the packages on the table in front of them. “5 minutes, Master Ben.”

Vanee motions Anton out of the room, the door closes, then the lock clicks.

Ben opens the packages, the scrubs he pulls out of the first one are way too big for her and he pushes those aside, opening the other one. “Let’s get you changed, my Rey.”

He helps her with her coat, sweater and dress, slipping the top over her head then reaches for her leggings and undies, pulling them down. He holds out the scrub pants, and she puts her foot in each leg and pulls them up, but they fall down and Ben has to pull the string at the waist to tighten them. He hands her a pair of blue slippers and then starts to pull off his clothes. 

Coat. 

Sweater. 

He puts on his blue scrub top, then toes off his shoes and reaches for his belt.

Rey closes her eyes, squeezing the slippers in her hands.

Ben chuckles. “There’s nothing wrong with the human form. Have you ever seen a naked man before, sweetheart?”

She nods, looking away and she runs her fingers over the gold pattern stitched into the slipper.

She hears a noise and suddenly Ben is on his knees cupping her face up to his dark wide eyes. “Has someone taken… has a naked man hurt you?”

She is confused. Aren’t all men naked beneath their clothes, why would not having clothes make any difference if they wanted to hurt someone.

There is a knock on the door and Ben shakes the horror out of his eyes, pointing to her slippers. “Put those on please. Be good.”

She puts them on the floor and slips her feet into them, wiggling her toes in the plush lining. Ben folds their clothes and puts everything into one of the long cabinets, hanging the coats.

He reaches for her hand and leads her out into the hall and they follow the nurse, as Vanee and Anton trail behind them.

They enter a room, Anton staying out in the hall to guard the door.

“Alright Benjamin,” the nurse begins, “Dr Cecil wants to check your left wrist, so I will need you to remove your watch.”

“Contrary to what his Uncle might have told you, it is MASTER Benjamin now,” Vanee chides in a cold voice.

The nurse’s eyes drop to Rey then she looks into Ben's face and bows her head. “I meant no offense, Master Benjamin. If you could please remove your watch, so your Lil can observe how an X-ray is taken.”

Ben removes his watch, handing it to Rey with a wink, then steps behind a windowed wall and places his arm on a table, a technician adjusting the large box over it.

“Look, Miss Rey,” Vanee says pointing to a computer screen next to the window. “Those are Master Ben’s bones in his hand and wrist. The machine let us see if the bones are healthy.”

Rey watches as the white lines fill the screen, the tech nodding in approval. “Looks good,” he says as Ben comes to get Rey.

“Since this is your first visit, I am asking that they take pictures of all your bones. I want to make sure you are healthy.” Ben says with a smile, picking her up and placing her on the table. 

She lays her feet flat.

She tilts them left, then right.

Her calves, thighs, hips, torso, neck and skull. 

They take multi angles of her left arm.

Then they stand her up facing a plate on the wall and she curves her shoulders around it, gripping the top.

“Hold your breath.”

She hears a hum and a click. “Good job, Miss Rey,” the tech smiles at her.

Ben picks her up and carries her back to the computer and they watch as the radiologist flips from picture to picture. “I have everything I need, take them to CT.”

The nurse takes them straight across the hall and Ben hands her his watch again. “I’ll go first so you know what’s going to happen, okay. This machine looks at soft tissue and organs.”

Rey watches behind another window as Ben lays on a table, placing his head in the cradle. Then the machine gets louder and Ben is slowly moved into the large hole.

She looks for the computer and the images look very different and she’s not sure what she’s seeing. 

“There’s the inhibitor,” the nurse points to a bright white spot on the screen.

“That will be removed today,” Vanee instructs her and she makes a note on her tablet.

“Abdomen looks clear. Lungs. Heart.” The technician nods, “The radiologist will read it but he looks clear to me.”

Vanee smiles at her. “This test says he’s healthy, Miss.”

Rey hugs him when he comes through the door and he picks her up. “See nothing to it, you just have to stay very still so you don’t blur the pictures, okay?”

He carries her to the table and lays her on the surface, slipping off her shoes. He lays her hands flat next to her thighs. “I want you to close your eyes and picture us at home, laying in my bed watching a movie tonight, ok? Do we have pizza? Popcorn? What are we wearing? Fill out all the details okay?”

She nods and he kisses her forehead and waits until her eyes are closed to leave.

She paints a picture in her head. Ben is on one side of her, Kylo on the other. Pizza sounds good, but she doesn’t like the pepperoni she envisions on his. She likes ham and pineapple. She has a big fluffy blanket to keep her warm and they’re watching a cartoon. She hasn’t seen many, but she likes robots. She wonders if he has any with robots. That could be fun.

“Take a deep breath Miss and hold it please.”

She sucks in a breath, thinking of milkshakes with a cherry on top… and maybe a game. He has a game table in his room.

“You can let it out now, stay still please.”

She realizes now that she had slept soundly last night, even if he did know about her nightmares. Maybe it is him, she feels safe… maybe he can chase them away for good.

She feels a finger on her nose and opens her eyes.

“Do you have our plan for tonight ready in your head,” he whispers and she nods, lifting her arms for him to pick her up.

She lays her head on his shoulder and he carries her out, following the nurse. They stop briefly in the hall to stand on the scale, then are escorted to room three.

It‘s much larger than her hospital room in Jakku, with a large bed with the head inclined right in the middle. There’s a sitting area by the window and a large bathroom near the entrance.

Ben puts her down, takes her hand and places it in Vanee’s. “Hold on to him, I’ll go first.”

He sits on the edge of the bed, pulling off his shirt. The nurse and her aid start placing round patches on his neck, chest and back, then attach wires and press a button. 

“That’s his heartbeat, Lil Miss.” The nurse smiles softly at her, as if to reassure her.

She knows what a heart monitor is and that they’ll put on a cuff and a finger clip. She woke up in the hospital, this she knows.

Rey watches silently as they do just that and then they put in an IV port, taking several tubes of blood.

He stands for a moment, pulling his pants down over his hips as the nurse stands in front of him, accepting a tube and Ben sighs softly, then swings his legs up into bed as they place a sheet over his lap.

As the aid folds his clothes, putting them and his slippers on a shelf he holds out his hands for her.

“Your turn,” he beckons her with his fingers and she runs to his side. She examines his patches, cuff and his empty IV port. “I’m right here. We are doing this together.”

He tugs on the hem of her shirt, pulling up and whispers a good girl when she raises her hands.

The nurses work quickly to get her patches on, pulling her cables from the far side of the bed. She turns her head into Ben’s chest as they start her IV.

“No bloodwork,” the aid asks.

“She had a draw yesterday and Dr Cecil has yet to order more,” the nurse tells her, taping off the line. They try 2 different cuffs, but do not have one small enough for her bony little arm. “Try on her ankle.”

They finally get a reading and 89/64 and the nurse makes a note on her chart.

“O2 is 91,” the aid tells the nurse for documentation, then reaches for Rey’s slippers.

“Okay sweetheart, we need a clean urine sample, so we need to put a line in for you too, okay?”

She feels Ben’s lips on her head and he hugs her to his chest as they pull off her pants.

The nurse opens several packages then holds up a pad. “This is to clean the area so nothing gets in the sample.” She waits for Rey’s nod then she nudges her thighs apart with her elbow, her gloved hand spreading her folds so she can clean the area.

“This one removes the soap and has an antiseptic, it’s going to be cold.”

Rey whimpers and Ben nuzzles her hair. “Be brave, sweetheart. Close your eyes if you want, I’ll keep an eye on them.”

When the nurse picks up the tube, Rey decides to do just that. She feels a small pinch and winces.

“Be careful,” Ben scolds.

“It’s the smallest tube we have, Master Ben.” She can hear liquid streaming into a cup. “We’ll leave that in for now, he’s going to want to track her absorption rate.”

“Intact?” Ben’s voice is rough and she feels him squeeze her arm.

“Yes, Sir. She’s good,” the nurse replies in a gentle voice as the aid hangs 3 bags of fluid. “Her blood work showed massive dehydration and both vitamin and mineral deficiencies. We are starting her out with these and will progress with others as the day progresses.”

“She needs a sheet and a heated blanket, she loses her warmth quickly.”

The nurse nods to the aid and she leaves. “Low body weight will do that. Don’t worry, little Miss. You are with us now and we take care of each other.”

Rey smiles at the nice lady, pressing into Ben’s warmth as the IV flows. 

The aid returns and wraps a heated blanket around her back, tucking it in around her feet, then covers both of them with a sheet.

“The doctors are ready for the conference, Lord Vanee.” The nurse leads him away with the aid following.

“Anton, we are ready.”

The man nods then steps out in the hall.

“I love you, my Rey.”

She looks up into his face and smiles, reaching to curl his hair around her fingers.

“You like my hair?” 

She nods, gasping as the door opens and Kylo hops straight up onto the bed to put his head in her lap.

“Good boy,” she whispers in his ear as she hugs his large head.

“She does talk,” says a deep voice in amusement.

Rey stills.

“Rey, you remember Anton,” Ben says gently, rubbing her back.

At the bottom of the bed stand the 6 men from earlier, but now… every one of them are studying her.

Anton smiles at her. “Good job earlier, little one. We will get you into the training room soon.”

Rey’s eyes swirl to Ben. “I can learn to fight?”

Ben wraps her blanket around her tight and pulls her up into his lap. “Rey, as a Skywalker we are expected to not only protect ourselves, but our family. My grandparents assigned them to me when I was young and I have trained with them ever since. Ash, is actually the head of the team who sends updates to my grandfather.”

A broad man with dark hair and a full beard steps forward, and Rey notes the lines around his eyes and hints of grey on his chin. Looking across the group, he has to be the eldest.

“She’s wary.” 

Ben chuckles. “As she should be, the 6 of you intimidated the hell out of me when we first met.”

Ash places his hand on the man next to him, “This is Martin.” 

Martin has no distinguishable features, he looks young and plain. Harmless. Until you look into his eyes.

Rey nods.

“Next is Joseph.” Joseph also has facial hair, slightly shorter than the others but more broad.

Rey looks to the next man. “That is Thomas.”

Thomas looks harmless as well, but she can feel the hair on Kylo’s back rise as the man bends slightly to examine her in return.

The man on the end is the shortest of them and of asain descent, his eyes full of interest.

“My name is Lukas.” He smiles.

“I’m Rey.” She leans into Ben’s chest holding Lukas’s eye as Ben kisses her hair.

Anton takes over the conversation. “Rey, like Ben told you, when one of us comes to you with the pass phrase, you need to come with us immediately.”

Rey looks over the group of them. That would be easier with some of them than others. “No.”

Ben stiffens under her. “You promised.”

“For Anton.”

The only sound for several minutes is the heart rate monitors.

“Perhaps we should give them a moment,” Anton suggests and they head for the door.

“Please stay, Anton,” Ben's voice is tight and Rey holds her breath for a moment.

“Lukas too,” she whispers, relaxing when the man in question stays where he is while the rest file out.

Ben pushes Rey away from his body, cupping her chin to look into her face. “You promised.”

Tears well up in Rey’s eyes, but she refuses to let them fall as she searches for the words to explain.

“She is uneasy with Martin and Thomas,” Lukas says calmly.

Anton barks a laugh, “They are the most brutal of us. We serve the Skywalkers, Miss Rey. There are times when violence is warranted for safety reasons. They are also the least likely to be put on extraction duty, they would be dealing with the primary threat. It’s actually beneficial, Ben, that she’s wary of those she does not know. It’ll make it easier for us to protect her. ” 

Ben sighs, “Okay, how about a compromise. Anton and Lukas will be on extraction until you get to know the rest of the team.”

Rey nods, eager to end his frustration with her.

Lukas sits on the side of the bed and opens his hand, showing her a watch. “We need you to wear this, Miss Rey. It’s like Master Ben’s.” He places it on her wrist and adjusts the band for fit. “There are sensors that read your pulse and track your location and it’s sent to my datapad. Are you okay with this?”

Rey looks at the watch, it looks more delicate than Ben’s, in silver and rose gold. It’s a little loose on her wrist and she wiggles it as she considers its purpose. “It sends a signal?”

Ben pulls her into his chest. “I have worn one my entire life, Rey. It’s safe.”

“The signal is encrypted… that means it is hidden. They would have to be specifically looking for your frequency to find it and then have the right code to read it,” Anton explains.

“Master Benjamin,” Ash says from the door. “They are here, Thomas is escorting them to the family waiting area.”

“Can we get surveillance here?”

Lukas pulls out his datapad and one of the view screens on the wall comes to life revealing the two men, the first not at all pleased.

_ You must take me immediately to Mister Solo. _ Sound filters through the screen.

“Master Benjamin has set aside time for interviews this afternoon, you will both wait here until your background checks have been completed.” Thomas guards the door with his arms across his chest.

_ Master?!? I must insist, if HE has been granted a charge, he will need guidance. With his Grandfather abroad and his father's habitual absences, that young man has been abandoned for quite long enough. He is insufficiently prepared for such a task unaided. _ The older man steps up into Thomas’s space and Rey shrinks back into Ben’s arms as the volume is turned down to a whisper.

Kylo whimpers, snuggling his head into her lap.

“Enric Pryde, former attendant to Brendol Hux,” Ash reads from his tablet.

“Why did he leave?”

Anton, Lukas and Ash all look at Ben sharply. “Brendol Hux died in his sleep last week.”

Ben stills beneath her and she looks up to see questions in his eyes, “Do we have a report?”

“I’m using Pryde’s application to get more information for you, Master Benjamin.” Ash winks at Rey, his eyes softening and motioning to the second figure on screen. “Dopheld Mitaka is the other applicant. He has an MBA and has trained with your Grandfather’s team. He has presented and attached 2 younger sisters, both are now married and settled. Good girls, both said to have made love matches.”

Ben exhales and looks down at Rey with a smile. “One of my worries is that I am a boy and while I know girls are different, I know not what all you might need. If you like, we can meet him this afternoon.”

Rey looks at the younger man on the screen, next to Pryde, this Mitaka is quiet. She wonders what he will think of her silence. She looks back up to Ben and nods as the door opens.

“Master Benjamin with your permission,” Vanee pauses to wait for Ben’s nod. “Miss Rey, may I introduce the Skywalker family physician, Dr Cecil Poindexter the third.”

The thin man who steps up to the bed is wearing a tweed coat, bow tie and he smiles most kindly. “It is so good to make your acquaintance, young miss. I have treated Master Benjamin since he was born and it is a pleasure to aid in his addition to his household. I do not want you to worry about a thing, I have consulted with the specialists and we will get you healthy. Our tests show that you have some nutritional deficiencies and muscular degeneration common to your body’s need for nutrition as it cannibalized itself...”

The man keeps babbling on as Rey’s eyes glaze over. He has to be one of the most animated men she has ever seen and he keeps talking, using larger and larger movements and terms she does not know. She makes a mental note on words like atrophy, deficiency, low GH, intravenous therapy, PT, colonic and ultrasound.

Ben listens calmly, occasionally interrupting to ask questions as she strokes Kylo’s head.

The nurse comes into change out bags and Rey watches the lines drip, blinking up into Lukas’s concerned face when he enters her line of sight as her vision blurs.

The doctor is still talking as pictures flash across another screen at the edge of her eye, “We can see evidence of a broken clavicle, ribs that have healed wrong and at some point she’s had a punctured lung. Her arm is barely healed and it looks to me like a rotating fracture. She was being pulled when it snapped.”

_ Far far beneath in the abysmal sea, _

“I would like to map her scars, particularly the ones on her ankle and neck…”

_ His ancient, dreamless, uninvaded sleep _

“...atrophic musculature can be rehabilitated but her skin is paper thin and will be prone to tear…”

_ About his shadowy sides above him swell _

“... that should clear the colon but she will require a special diet for the next couple of years to recover then build up…”

_ And far away into the sickly light _

Everything blacks out.

Rey

_ Rey _

A light flashes across her eyes and she blinks, turning her head away as the rapid high pitch beeps from the monitor start to slow.

There are many more people in the room now and all of them looking at her.

_ Then once by men and angels to be seen. _

“Turn it off,” Rey whimpers, covering her ears with her hands as she rocks. She doesn’t know why, but the whisper is a threat.

“Get Ash,” Ben orders in a harsh voice. “And clear the room.”

She twists in his lap and wraps her arms around his neck, pressing her face into his neck.

“This blanket is cold, she needs a warm one.” He holds her close, his fingers running through her hair. “I have you my Rey, I’m here. I’m here.”

She can feel when Ash enters the room, but keeps her eyes closed tight. They are talking in murmurs but Rey finds it hard to concentrate with the buzzing that linger in her head.

Heat envelopes her and she exhales, relaxing into Ben’s arms, her cheek against his chest, listening to the tone of the voices talking in the room. She’s drowsy and her eyelids feel heavy but she checks behind Lukas to the screen on the wall and finds the room now empty.

As the door opens she sees Thomas leading a man into the room and freezes. 

Kylo immediately starts to growl, standing at the foot of the hospital bed, ready to pounce, both men stopping in the entryway.

“She reacted to Pryde,” the young man asks, his eyes locked on Kylo's mouth.

“Report.” Ash ignores him.

Thomas looks between his guest and Ben, confused. “Martin and Joseph are escorting Pryde to the airport. I told him Vader blocked his application until the circumstances around Brendol’s death have been resolved.”

Ash and Ben share a look, tension in the room slowly settling. “Do a sweep to make sure he left nothing behind.”

Thomas nods then leaves the room, closing the door behind him.

“Rey,” Ben whispers and she pulls her eyes from the new man to his concerned face.

“Mitaka has been attached to our family for years, we can trust him.” Ben looks up to greet his new assistant. “Why do you think she reacted to Pryde?”

Mitaka looks at her gently, “If I may, Master Benjamin.”

She feels Ben’s chuckle and relaxes as he rubs her back, Kylo returning his head to her lap. “My sweet Rey, this is Mitaka.”

She bites her lip, pulling her blanket around her tightly as he approaches the bed.

His voice is soft and kind as he tilts his head to capture her attention. “There’s a poem by Lord Alfred Tennyson, it goes like this:

Below the thunders of the upper deep,

Far, far beneath in the abysmal sea,

His ancient, dreamless, uninvaded sleep

The Kraken sleepeth: faintest sunlights flee

About his shadowy sides; above him swell

Huge sponges of millennial growth and height;

And far away into the sickly light,

From many a wondrous grot and secret cell

Unnumbered and enormous polypi

Winnow with giant arms the slumbering green.

There hath he lain for ages, and will lie

Battening upon huge sea worms in his sleep,

Until the latter fire shall heat the deep;

Then once by man and angels to be seen,

In roaring he shall rise and on the surface die.”

Rey furrows her brows, a sleeping monster that dies once awakened? 

“A poem,” she whispers.

“Yes,” Mitaka replies gently.

She blinks repeatedly, wondering what a poem has to do with the other man. A poem. She remembers part of one. “She walks in beauty like the night.”

This time Mitaka blinks. “Yes, that’s a poem by Lord Byron. Where did you hear it?”

Rey closes her eyes, trying to remember.

“The man.”

Ben kisses her forehead. “What man, Lil Bit?”

Memory of smoke and terror has her heartbeat monitor accelerating again and Ben cups her face in his hands, saying her name as Kylo presses closer.

She closes her eyes and curls into a ball between them, her fingers in Kylo’s fur. She listens to the beeps of the heart monitors. Ben’s is steady and she focuses on it, mirroring her breaths to the rise and fall of his chest.

“... all the signs of a trauma victim, which considering her test results are not surprising. I would recommend waiting to ask questions about her history until you are in a more secure location.”

Lord Vanee waves his hand dismissively, “Everyone on this floor has been with the Queen for years…”

“This is not a question of family loyalty, this is a matter of faith. Pryde was not just reciting a poem, he was using the meter the Sith Eternal use for prayer.”

“Mom was a Sith,” Rey remembers long hair and the smell of a floral perfume.

Ben stiffens, gently pushing her away from his chest to look into her face. “Really? We are too. When was the last time you went to chapel?”

She tries to remember but ends up shrugging her shoulders.

“Master Ben, I concur with Mr Mitaka, we should table this,” Ash mutters across the room. “The doctor is waiting in the hall.”

Ben gives her a half smile, one eyebrow raised. “What do you think? Finish up the tests so we can go home?”

At her nod, Ash opens the door, admitting Dr Cecil back into the room who goes immediately to Rey’s monitors.

“Anxiety is to be expected, Master Benjamin, her life is changing. I do not see anything alarming in her EKG.” He drops the paper coming out the side of her machine and puts his fingers on her wrist, glancing at his watch.

“She has nightmares,” Ben’s voice is soft and he gently wraps his hand around hers.

The doctor taps on his pad, then nods, “Her hormones will level out as she improves, until then we can supplement. Melatonin a couple times a week, and I can give you something stronger for use as needed.”

Rey stretches out her legs under the blanket, wiggling her toes and laughs as Kylo chases them under the sheet. She looks up when she hears a low chuckle and sees Mitaka smiling as he takes notes in a small book. She watches him closely as he listens, occasionally asking questions then looks at her Ben to offer suggestions. He knows things, he has sisters, he knows Ben’s family, does he…

“I’ll go first, okay, Rey?” Ben is looking down at her. “You don’t have to be concerned. We are going to do this together.”

The nurse is back, pushing a big machine into the room. She nods to the doctor and then moves to change out the bags on Rey’s side of the bed.

“Okay, this one might make you a little queasy, Miss Rey, so I’m going to give you some Phenergan for your tummy.” Dr Cecil twists a tube into her IV port, pushes the plunger down then tosses it into a red box on the wall. He crosses to the machine and smiles gently at her to explain. “This is an ultrasound machine, it sends sound into the body and we read what is reflected back. We will start with Master Ben, I’d like you to help by keeping his focus on you while his inhibitor is removed.”

“Crap,” Mitaka grumbles. “I forgot they did that to you, that kid had it coming.”

Ben shakes his head with a smile as he rolls on his side, pushing a button to lower the head of the bed. “Will you hold me, Rey?” 

Kylo jumps down to sit near Lukas and the nurse hands the doctor another tube, this one with a long needle.

She reaches for him, laying on her side and kissing his nose. He pulls her close, his leg wrapping over her as the doctor puts on a mask and gloves.

“Are you sure you only want a local?”

Ben rubs his nose against hers, “I can’t watch over my girl if I’m drugged.”

She sees Mitaka nod his head in approval, then catches her looking at him and motions for her to watch Ben.

Ben is trying not to laugh as she looks back and she wonders why until she hears the doctor chuckle about how he’d always been ticklish.

“Ok, there is going to be a stick,” Dr Cecil says as he leans down to get a look at Ben’s bottom. Ben tenses slightly then takes deep breaths until the needle is pulled away.

Squeaky wheels come closer and she watches as a towel is removed from the top of a tray. “Okay, Master Benjamin, we need you fully open to remove it.”

Ben kisses her cheek. “Ready?”

At her nod, he pulls her under him, his head on her chest, knees planted on either side of her and they shift until her knees fall off the edge, his ass in the air. Her confusion must show on her face because Lukas leans close, placing his hand on her hair. “It’s okay, Miss. They have to take it out. Hold him tight.”

Rey wraps her arms around his head and pats his hair, taking deep breaths for him and she feels his chuckle. “Thank you, Rey. Deep breaths are a very good idea.”

She jumps when she feels liquid drop onto her thigh but gets distracted when Dr Cecil holds up a small bloody circle in a pair of tweezers. “It has been removed, Master Benjamin, and it’s fully intact. We will need weekly blood draws for the next month to make sure your body starts making the appropriate amount of testosterone for your age. We might need to kick start it after being repressed for so long.”

Ben raises up to his elbows to look down at her, “Are you okay?”

She nods, stroking his face then pulls him back down and he wraps his arms around her as she rocks gently from side to side.

“Two stitches, which will dissolve on their own as you heal. I’ll give your assistant care instructions at discharge.”

“Thank you, Dr Cecil.” Ben rolls to his side, adjusting their bodies and the covers until Rey is on the edge of her side of the bed. “They need to look at your belly.”

Rey grabs the covers tight, glaring at the doctor as he changes his gloves.

Mitaka laughs. “Miss Rey,” he calls, waiting for her eyes. “He’s not going to cut you, they want to use the ultrasound. They used it on Ben to find the inhibitor, they want to see what’s making your stomach upset.”

There’s something calm about him and Rey lets go of the blankets as the doctor squirts a cold gel on her stomach, Ben catching her hands before she can wipe it off.

“This might tickle, Lil Bit.”

The gel is smeared over her belly with a stick that’s attached to the machine and it does in fact tickle but she tries not to move as she watches the pictures on the screen.

“Fully impacted, Doctor,” the technician says in a low voice.

“Miss Rey, when was the last time you pooped?”

Rey scrunches her nose. He wants to talk about poop? No way.

She shrugs.

Mitaka sits on Ben’s side of the bed. “Is it sometimes hard to go, Lil miss?”

His voice is gentle and his eyes encouraging and she looks up into Ben’s face. Not negotiable, he had said and she sighs, then nods.

The doctor turns to the nurse muttering under his breath and she leans into Ben trying not to cry.

“Actually, wouldn’t Midazolam be better,” Mitaka asks and Ben nods in approval. 

He looks down at her, “I like him.”

She catches his eyes and whispers, “Me too.”

They stare at each other while the others in the room discuss options, Ben stroking Rey’s hair. 

“I don’t want you to be frightened, my Lil Bit. I think you should take a nap while I hold you during your procedure, just like you held me.” He pulls her closer as a tear runs down her cheek. “What is it?”

She wraps her arms around his neck and hides her face.

Mitaka bends over them, “Everything okay, Lil Miss? Do you have questions? I can explain the procedure to you, if you like?”

Vanee chuckles, “Does she really need the details?”

Mitaka’s eyes stay on Rey as he answers, “My sister Greta liked knowing what was going to happen. How old are you, Rey? Eight? Nine?”

Ben shakes his head, “She’s six.”

Mitaka stands and reaches for her chart, flipping through pages. “Here we go Miss Rey, first they are going to give you some medicine through your IV to loosen your poop and help you relax so it can come out. Then they’ll wash you with water and maybe a little soap. By the time you wake up, you’ll be all clean. What do you think?”

Rey peaks out and looks at Mitaka, then to Dr Cecil and Vanee and finally up to Ben. She pulls his head down and whispers in his ear, “No cutting.”

Ben nods and then asks Dr Cecil, “Will there be any cutting?”

“Goodness gracious Master Benjamin, we would never cut without permission and this procedure doesn’t require anything of the sort!” The doctor’s reaction is over the top and Rey fights a smile.

“Any other questions,” Mitaka asks gently.

She looks around the room, noting the people. Lukas, Anton and Ash from the security team are spread out across the room. Two technicians, the nurse and her assistant and the highly weird Dr Cecil all work here at the hospital. Then add Lord Vanee and Mr Mitaka… this room is very full and they are all watching her. She turns her face into Ben’s ear and can’t figure out how to say it without making Ben feel bad about his procedure. “I don’t want to put my butt up in the air for everyone to see.”

Ben laughs, holding her close while everyone else looks on confused as she pulls the cover over her head, reaching down to scratch her thigh.

“Be careful about scratching Miss Rey, your skin is very thin and we don’t want it to tear,” Dr Cecil drones on…

“The drip itches,” she mumbles under the covers.

“What drip,” Ben asks, lifting the covers. “She’s bleeding!”

The medical staff all reach for her and Rey’s monitor starts racing again.

“Stop!” Mitaka’s tone has enough authority in it to make everyone pause. “First of all, there are way too many people in this room. Second, you just do not paw at a vulnerable little girl in a panic.”

Ben recovers first. “Lord Vanee, if you could move to the sitting area. Ash, take Anton and wait outside the door. Dr Cecil, how many of these people are necessary?”

Dr Cecil nods to the technicians and they leave, followed by Ash and Anton.

Ben folds back the blanket from Rey’s leg, exposing the blood.

“I think it’s your blood, Master Benjamin, it might have dripped on her during your procedure,” Dr Cecil says as he cleans the area with an antiseptic pad.

Ben relaxes, tilting her chin up to his face. “The sooner we get done, the sooner we can go home. Are you ready?”

He waits for her, searching her face, signaling the doctor when she finally nods. 

“I’ll hold you the entire time, I promise. Lukas and I will keep an eye on everyone who comes in and out while you are sleeping.” Ben’s arms pull her close and she kisses his chest.

“Mitaka too?” Her eyelids are getting heavier as she looks for him.

“If that’s what you want, I’ll stay too.”

She nods. “Help Ben.”

She feels like something heavy is pressing her down into sleep. “Greta and who?”

“Annette, my sisters’ names are Annette and Greta. They are both married now.”

She drifts, rubbing her left palm. “Sith wedding.”

Mitaka’s voice sounds far away and wary, “No, we aren’t high Sith. The weddings were in Temple though. They were beautiful, I’ll show you pictures if you like.”

“When,” she murmurs but falls asleep before he can respond.


	4. The Vision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “She’s Sith?” Vader asks in his ear.
> 
> “She said her mother was, I’ll have my report to you in an hour.”
> 
> “I look forward to it. We will be there in 70 hours.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I apologize. I didn’t know what squick was, now I do.
> 
> I have added a lot of tags to give you an idea where we might be headed, if you have limits to your darkness, please give them a review. If you want it all to be a surprise, be careful of potential spoilers.
> 
> Short, but important chapter.
> 
> Just so no one gets confused:
> 
> Sith is the major religion in this AU. High Sith are force sensitive.

_Annette was underweight, I still have her notes and her nutritionist on speed dial._

_This is a lot of prescriptions._

_It’s temporary, Ben, they’ll retest every month._

_Dr Cecil wants a lot more testing done, why are we waiting._

_At Lord Vader’s request._

_My grandfather has never requested anything in his life._

_Sure he has, he’s married to the Queen._

_Vanee…_

_Master Benjamin, we all want answers._

_I want her safe._

_And if the test results put her in danger?_

_It’s her health._

_Ben, her health status has been assessed. You want answers from her past, what if someone is looking for her. The police report reads as if her body had been dumped, if whoever did that thinks she’s dead, then they will not come looking for her._

_She’s mine now, they can’t have her._

_Master Benjamin, her placement is legally pending. Patience. Your Grandparents are on their way home. They are not saying to not test, they are saying wait until they can get here._

The weight on her chest is still heavy, her breaths shallow. She takes a deep breath and the weight moves to lick her face.

“Kylo,” she whines, pushing him away and opening her eyes to a dark room. There is a single lamp illuminating the entire room from the corner of the sitting area, where Ben, Vanee and Mitaka are talking softly. Outside the window is dark, the sun already down.

She rolls on her side, snuggling under her thick covers and notices the fabric covering her arm. She sits up, looking at the sleeves of her white nightgown, then looks over to the side of the bed. No monitors or IV bags. She runs her hand down the inside of her arm, feeling a bandage.

“Sweetheart?”

She looks up into Ben’s smiling face, noticing that he is fully dressed.

“It’s dark.”

He sits on the side of the bed. “We were just waiting on you to wake up. Mitaka has gone to let them know.”

“I wanted to watch robots,” she pouts.

“Robots,” Ben deadpans with a smirk as he lifts his legs to the bed and wraps her in his arms. “I love you, my Rey.”

She cuddles into his chest with a sigh as her eyes become heavy again. “My Ben.”

She wakes to Dr Cecil pushing on her belly, “Anything hurt, Miss Rey?”

She gives the sign for no as she yawns, not wanting to wake up. She whimpers about the cold when the nurse comes to remove her catheter. She barely feels it at all when Ben carries her to the car or when he takes her to his bed, laying her against the pillows after Mitaka turns down the covers.

“I’ll be out on the couch tonight just in case you need me. Where is your _chawan_?”

Ben sounds exhausted. “In the drainer with the breakfast dishes.”

“I’ll bring it to you in the morning.”

“Thank you, Mitaka.”

“Good night, Master.”

Behind her closed eyelids, she sees darkness fall as the bedside lamp is turned off. 

His body curls around her and she’s pulled firmly back into his chest, his face in her hair.

“Did you mean it,” she whispers in the dark.

“I will never lie to you, Rey.”

She shifts her body around until they are face to face in the dark. “I am yours?”

He stops breathing for just a moment then exhales dramatically, taking her hand and placing it on his forehead. “You have me here.”

He moves her hand down to the center of his chest. “You have me here,” his voice is tender, almost as if he’s sharing his deepest secret.

Then he pulls her hand down further, pressing it to the front of his sleep pants. “You will have me here too, as soon as you are old enough.”

She thinks it over as he raises her hand up to his lips, kissing the inside of her wrist.

“But am I yours?”

“Do you want to be?” He chuckles as she yawns. “Sweetheart, sleep. We can talk in the morning.” 

She cuddles into his chest, barely registering when Kylo jumps up behind her and lays his head on her hip.

There are no nightmares that night. She does not dream at all.

__________

_He is sitting on the mountain top, the sun is set and the moon is rising— the new moon, unseen, yet felt deep within him. He centers himself, staying in the present, connecting to his knights, meditating with him in the circle. Then there is his honor guard, chosen by her. His bride.They are outside the circle, keeping watch against attack._

_She’s fiercely protective, his phoenix, the thought bringing a smile to his lips._

_He has not seen her since the full moon, when she descended into the chamber of silence as he left to face the trials._

_Fourteen days without the chawan._

_His knights had to hold him down this morning as he roared for her, desperate to provide._

_“Soon, Master. She will be waiting at the temple,” Anton had assured him._

_No._

_She had renamed them all._

_Anton was now called Vicrul._

_From the valley, a gong sounds and they rise as one. They march as one, down the path to the Temple of his family. At the bridge they stop, removing their robes and boots. As one, they dive into the lake, swimming across before diving under the waterfall and through the passage into the sacred pool._

_He climbs the steps, the six of them behind and they kneel before the Priest._

_Chanting begins and the Priest turns, leading them into the cleansing chamber._

_His knights discard their wet clothes, then cut his soaked garments off using their knives. He moves into the center of the room, grabbing the ceremonial ring over his head and holds it firm._

_They surround him, grabbing the brushes and soap and scour him clean of all impurities, rinsing him with buckets of cold water then grab him forcibly and throw him into the ritual pool._

_The cold water from the buckets is nothing compared to the icy waters that steal his breath and he surfaces with a roar, climbing the steps to stand before the Priest._

_The acolytes approach to pour oil over his shoulders, chanting as his body is coated in the slick liquid. They pour and pour until he is completely covered, then wrap a panel of black gauze around his hips, tying it on one side, not for modesty— The oiled flesh draws the fabric, every muscle and line enhanced._

_The chants grow louder and he can feel his need rising._

_“Just a little longer, Master,” Ap’lek mutters below the chants as they move, following the Priest into the sanctum with its altar at the center._

_Robed figures line the gallery balconies, witnesses to attest to the ritual in the days ahead._

_His knights circle the room, each taking their place of honor, guarding what is to come as he steps to the altar and kneels to wait._

_His chosen attendants approach, covering the altar with dark pieces of fur and wool, then lift a chest and present it to the Priest._

_The tones of the Priest drown out the chants of the witnesses as he holds his hand over the chest and offers a blessing before he opens to draw out the white silk and places it over the furs._

_The gong sounds, the vibrations moving through him and the acolytes light the large bowls to his right and left, casting the room in a red glow._

_When the drums start to beat, he stands and turns to look back the way he came, knowing that she will shadow his steps. His attendants draw close to his side._

_“Do you need anything, Master,” Mitaka murmurs from his left._

_He shakes his head, his eyes watching the doors… waiting as his blood pulses to the beat of the drums._

_He knows the honor guards that had escorted him to the lake had proceeded over the bridge and gone straight to the Queen, who was in charge of preparing his bride._

_The gong sounds again as the doors finally open and his attendants have to grab him by the arms to keep him from going to her._

_“You want her willingly, Ben… remember,” a pale man with red hair says through clenched teeth as he holds him back on the right, as Mitaka holds his left._

_The guards part and he can see her small form moving towards him with purpose. The white of the gauze covering her body is covered by a sleeveless black robe with a cream and gold lining, her hair covered by it’s dark hood. Her hands are both palm up, held in front of her, one on top of the other, the fire gleams in the metal on her thumbs, forefingers, wrists and upper left arm._

_She approaches boldly and drops, knees spayed wide on the stone floor. The palms of her hands press out flat in front of her as she leans forward to place her forehead to the floor below him as the drums stop._

_“Who presents this vessel for consecration,” the Priest’s voice carries in the stillness of the room._

_The Queen’s voice flows down from her balcony, “My Lord Vader, I present my ward to your Heir for consecration and binding.”_

_His breath catches._

_Binding._

_She will be forever his._

_The enormity of the ritual sets on him as he watches his grandfather place a hand on her covered head, chanting the prayer of consecration then pulls the robe by the hood away from her supplicated form._

_The robe is presented to him, lining side up, signifying her old life and he takes the garment and brings it to his nose to inhale._

_Sandalwood, frankincense and cinnamon from the rites fill his nostrils and he thrusts the robe aside, Mitaka taking it to burn in the altar bowl. Death to the past._

_The women in the balconies begin the song of offering and she sits back on her heels, her palms up on her knees._

_His eyes rake over her as they sing. Her long hair is plaited, hanging over one shoulder, the mark on her forehead proclaiming her a Sith Priestess by the rites. The gold veil of chains across her nose ends in beads the color of blood, but not covering the dark stain on her upper lip or the line that bisects her lower lip and flows down past her chin to the hollow of her throat. There is the barest of glints off the delicate chains he has spent the past few years wrapping her in himself, around her neck, the line that follows her sternum down below the gauze, the delicate web that graces her shoulders, right arm and right thigh. The gauze does nothing to hide her from him, the gentle swell of ripening breasts, the flatness of her stomach, the shadow of her open thighs. He smirks at the daggers strapped to her thighs and he’s sure, her right ankle._

_She is deadly._

_But only for him._

_His eyes return to her face, her kohl lined eyes downcast on his bare feet._

_The hymn finally ends leaving only the sound of the flames._

_Vader’s tone turns gentle. “Does the vessel offer herself freely?”_

_“I do, my Lord,” her voice is soft as she lifts her eyes to his, “...with all my heart.”_

_His grandfather offers her his hand and she takes it, allowing him to raise her up. “May I present your warrior to you, MiLady,” the pale red head on his right asks in a strong voice. At her nod, the fabric is removed from his hips and he watches as her eyes travel over what will soon be hers_ in toto _._

_“May I inspect?”_

_He drops to his knees before anyone can answer and the two men step away to give her room. She walks around him, her fingers trailing across the back of his shoulders, the metal tip on her forefinger teasing the skin, but not breaking it. She comes to stand between his knees and cups his head in her hands, looking down into his face._

_“My Ben,” she breathes too low for anyone else to hear._

_He clenches his fists down at his side, he can’t touch her yet._

_And she knows it._

_She steps back and turns to the Priest._

_“I find your Heir to be acceptable, Lord Vader.”_

_A young woman about the age of his bride approaches with a long footed tray, setting it on a table adjacent to the altar and his bride joins her, holding up her hands. The handmaid removes the metal from Rey’s thumbs and fingers, placing them point up on the tray. His bride looks straight into his eyes, smiles and disarms. He watches as she works her jaw, then reaches behind her veil of chains to take the blade off her tongue, handing it to her handmaid. There’s a dagger, fashioned into a hairpin that pulled from the top of her braid. She unplaits her hair, curling what looks to be a ribbon around her fingers, then drops it to the tray with a weight that surprises him. The handmaid kneels to remove the daggers from her legs. There are four. She removes the cuffs from her wrists, but not his band from her upper arm._

_His bride turns to the altar, only to be stopped by Lord Vader. He holds out his hand and waits. She stares at him blankly then exhales, reaching up to pull a pin out of her hair and place it in his palm. She tries again, but he holds firm._

_She huffs, his sweetheart loves her toys. She pulls more pins; from the back of her head, the thin chain on her thigh and finally her armband, then raises an eyebrow at his grandfather, unafraid._

_“You seem to forget, little one, I gifted the set to you. I know there are five.” Vader’s amusement is wearing thin and Ben tries not to laugh when his girl rolls her eyes._

_She sticks a finger in her mouth, running it along the bottom of gums in her cheek, producing the final pin and holds it up for inspection before dropping it to join the others._

_“Weapons are not required for the rite of binding,” the Priest intones for the crowd, then leans in to whisper, “and it’s not like you need them to defend your Ben.” He kisses her hair, then steps aside._

_She steps before him, bending to place a kiss on his forehead, then steps back. The tremble in her fingers is so slight, that he’s sure he’s the only one who sees it as she unties the knot that holds the gauze to her body, her handmaid taking it away._

_There is murmuring from the gallery now that her chains are exposed, but he does not look up, their knights will report later._

_Their knights._

_The ones that have watched over her since he brought her under his care. The ones that watched as she earned her chains._

_The gossamer lines that drape over her shoulders and down her centerline, the two that drape attaching via small loops on her nipples. She had earned the right to have them pierced but they had mutually decided to defer, those rings hung on her armband. The chains that encircle her waist, looping through the ring in her belly button, his cock throbbing at that memory. His eyes continue down, following the thin line that drops past her Christina piercing to the ring that keeps her clit enlarged and exposed, just poking out past her bare lips. Her legs are long and well defined from her training, the tiny scars from her rituals on her arms and legs tell the tale of her devotion to their faith._

_“Beautiful.” When his eyes return to hers, he leans forward, concerned at the blush on her cheeks, his attendants grabbing his shoulders to keep him in place. She’s still so shy when she’s presented. “Turn.”_

_She faces away from him, bringing her hair forward over one shoulder so that his gaze is not impaired._

_She has scars here too, the deepest are from the lashing she took to help him save face and solidify a deal within the company. Every time he sees them, he is humbled._

_“My Queen,” he calls out with a strong voice. “Your ward is a treasure of immeasurable worth. You have my gratitude.”_

_The affection in his grandmother’s voice is clear in her response. “She is yours. Serve her well.”_

_Rey kneels, laying her head on the floor, her arms behind her back, her hips tilted in offering. He looks down the line of her spine, to her hair splayed out across the stone floor, then reaches a hand for her hip._

_She’s trembling. A low hum echoes in the chamber, coming from their knights as he runs his thumb over the seal of the House of Naberrie that adorns the plug she has worn for years. The hum increases as he twists and pulls, working it out of her ass, ending in a roar as he holds it up, before passing it to her handmaid, who wraps it in a gold cloth and leaves the sanctum to return it to the Queen._

_He leans over her, covering her to the gazes of the gallery and whispers, “Are you ready?”_

_She nods and he wraps an arm around her drawing them both up, talking her weight when she falters. “Water.”_

_Mitaka hands him their chawan, pouring water into the bowl from the skin at his shoulder._

_Ben cups her jaw with one hand, bringing the bowl to her lips, tilting until the liquid is gone. He hands the empty vessel back to Mitaka, then nods to Lord Vader._

_The acolytes bring a basin and he grabs her hands with his plundering them into the water to rinse off any potential contaminants._

_“And how shall they be bound,” Lord Vader asks the assembled who answer with a mighty roar._

_“IN BLOOD!”_

_The man on Ben’s right hands him a blade and Ben makes a deep cut into his left hand, then passes the blade to his bride. Her cut is also deep and he clasps their palms together, mingling their blood for now and always._

_Vader raises a dark chalice to the altar and raises his voice, “Truth is in the Blood and we bind this Dyad now and forevermore in Passion, in Strength, Power and Victory.”_

_He lowers the cup below their joined hand, catching a couple drops in the wine._

_Ben takes the cup and drinks first then hands it to her, his arms tightening around her as she drains it completely._

_He takes the cup, thrusting into his grandfather's smirking face as he turns them both, bending her by the waist over the altar, their clasped hands behind her neck._

_Mitaka brings the next chest and sets it beside her head, lifting the lid and her chin for the presentation. “MiLady, your bride's gift.”_

_There are two columns of heavy silicone, molded from his own cock and finished on the blunt end with the seal of their new house. Mitaka lifts the first out of the box, turning it for her examination._

_“Thank you, Master,” she whimpers in need as the knights draw close, surrounding the altar, both to serve as witnesses and to inhibit the view of those above._

_He accepts the plug, holding it up for the red head to pour the ritual oil down it’s length. The knights resume their humming as he places the head at her still open hole._

_He nods to Mitaka, who lifts her face to his, watching for discomfort as Ben works the plug inside her, edging her passion higher and higher._

_“Not yet,” he growls over the knights._

_Her body is trembling as he pushes the final inch in, twisting to lock it in place._

_He pulls her up, turning her to rest against his chest as his attendants adjust the white silk on the edge of the altar then reach for her, lifting to sit her in its center._

_He brings her left hand to his lips as he steps into the opening between her knees, looking down into her upturned face. The amount of trust there takes his breath away and he gently lays her back among the furs._

_“Comfortable,” he asks softly as the knights begin the chant of claiming._

_She nods, clutching his hand in both of hers at her breast._

_“Put your legs around my hips sweetheart, when you’re ready.”_

_She takes a couple deep breaths, then slowly slides her legs up and over his hips._

_He leans up to look down, accepting the small bottle of oil to pour over their sex. He hands it back the slides his staff along her slit, working her arousal back up._

_The knights are chanting the final stanza on claiming and as their voices crest he thrusts, Rey’s cry echoes in the chamber._

_“What has been joined shall not be broken,” the Priest intones._

_“Through Passion, we gain Strength,” the assembly responds._

_He leans down to kiss away her tears and she reaches with her free hand for his face, guiding his lips to hers. He claims her mouth until her hips start to flex then pushes up, lifting their hands above her head and nods to Mitaka._

_Mitaka takes the second rod from the chest, places his hand behind her neck and lifts, tilting her head back and waits. She opens her lips to receive the replica of him and the knights growl as the bulge appears in her throat._

_“My Lord Vader, the vessel is fully claimed,” Mitaka says in a firm tone._

_He feels the weight of his grandfather’s hand as the Priest takes in the offering. “Fill your vessel, Lord Ren.”_

_He pulls back and starts to thrust into her, closing his eyes to relish his first time in a cunt, the heat and grip so different that anything else he’s ever felt before. He opens his eyes as she starts to match his thrusts with the tilt of her hips, writhing on the furs._

_Mitaka has pulled the phallus out of her throat, keeping the head on her tongue for her to suck, changing the angle so she can watch his pleasure._

_“Find it Ben, bind her to you fully,” his other attendants whispers in his ear. “Press above her pubic bone with your right hand, then shift your angles.”_

_He presses down, holding her still and shifts, growling when she jumps then proceeds to rail into her… Her cry of completion is accompanied by the sound of his grandfather crushing the chawan under his foot._

_Three more thrusts and he spills into her, their knights joining in his roar of triumph._

_Nothing can take her away from him now._

____________

Mitaka wakes with a start at Ben’s roar, pushing the panic button on his watch.

A second later, every light in the house comes on and he races for the bedroom door, stopping when he finds a gun pointed at him and holds his hands up.

Ben is kneeling in the middle of the bed, Rey tucked to his chest, gun pointed at the door and a dazed look in his eyes.

He hears the security team entering the house, but keeps his focus on the man trembling in front of him. “Master? Is Rey okay? Ben?”

He hears a beep in his ear and taps his tragus, activating his implant. “Report.”

“Lord Vader, I awoke to Master Ben's voice, he’s kneeling in his bed, his Lil in one arm and a gun pointed at me. He’s not coherent.”

“His Lil is already in his bed?”

“Yes, my Lord. Her procedure ran long and she had a reaction to the sedation. We didn’t return to the cottage until after one, he tucked her in with him to keep an eye on her.”

“Where is his left hand?”

“She’s tucked into his left arm, he has her left hand clutched in his.” Ben is still breathing hard, not acknowledging as his security team slips into the room.

The voice of Lord Vader comes from the intercom, “I will not fail.”

“I cannot die,” Ben intones back.

“Listen to me grandson, you must wake. It is not yet time for the binding, your vessel is not ready, she will shatter.”

Ben groans, pulling Rey closer to him.

“Disarm warrior, did she not disarm for you?”

Mitaka holds his breath as he watches Ben look down at the child in his arms, then slowly moves to place the firearm on the bed in front of them.

“The girl needs to wake,” he hears in his ear.

“Miss Rey,” he calls from the door. “You need to wake, Master Ben needs you,” he adds when she whines.

Her eyelids flutter and she sighs, “My Ben.”

Master Ben lays his forehead on hers and growls, “ask me again, Rey.”

He can see her lips move, but cannot hear the question she asks as the guard named Martin nods is head in approval.

Horror rises in him as Master Ben begins the chant of claiming, his eyes locked on hers as he settles on the bed, cradling her gently as her fingers rise to his hair. The guards join in when Ben restarts the first stanza over.

“Relax, Mitaka,” Lord Vader explains in his ear. “He’s coming out of it.”

“He had a force vision?”

“Yes.”

Each time the stanza repeats, Master Ben relaxes more, his voice growing soft.

“He needs to write it down first thing in the morning, as much as he can remember, then he needs to lock it in the vault.”

“Yes, my Lord.” Mitaka takes a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. “I do not envy you High Sith.”

“The force can be a burden, but it guides us too.”

Ben lets out an exhale, falling silent, the guards all nodding in approval now.

After a couple breaths, Rey’s little voice recites the first stanza, wrapping her thin arms around his neck.

“She’s Sith?” Vader asks in his ear.

“She said her mother was, I’ll have my report to you in an hour.”

“I look forward to it. We will be there in 70 hours.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

Mitaka hears the tone cut off and watches closely as Ben tucks her back under the covers, then returns his firearm to the bedside safe.

“Good night, gentlemen.” He curls around her as his team leaves the room.

Mitaka waits until Lukas enters the alarms release code and turns off the lights before shutting the door.

He goes to the kitchen, grabs a bottle of water, pulls out his computer and types out his report.


	5. Training Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The look in his eyes has shifted, to the way he was looking at her when Mitaka woke her last night and a memory of incense from the fires of the sanctum fill her nostrils.   
> “Ben,” she whispers. “My Ben.”  
> He smiles as he turns back to his writing. “That’s right, Lil Bit. Yours.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have any triggers, I humbly ask that you check the tags.

She wakes to the sound of scratches but she clings to sleep, pulling her stuffie in tight to her chest. The scratches continue. She peeks one eye open and smiles at the sight of Ben. He’s sitting with his back to the headboard, and writing in a black leather book.

Rey recognizes the marks on the cover as the language of the Sith, even if she can not read it and reaches out to trace one of the runes with her finger.

“Good morning, sweetheart,” her Ben says to her softly. “I need a couple more minutes to finish.”

She watches him as he writes, stroking one of her bunny’s ears. His eyes move to her bunny, then lift to her eyes. “I love you, my Rey.”

The look in his eyes has shifted, to the way he was looking at her when Mitaka woke her last night and a memory of incense from the fires of the sanctum fill her nostrils. 

“Ben,” she whispers. “My Ben.”

He smiles as he turns back to his writing. “That’s right, Lil Bit. Yours.”

She moves to sit beside him, leaning against his arm and watches as he draws the runes. Wait. There is something weird about…

“Ben? Why are they different?” His finger is on her lips before she can finish. 

She watches intently as his pen returns to the paper.

“Can you read Sith?”

She shakes her head watching as the ink flows. 

“You spoke Sith this morning, do you remember?”

She runs her fingers along his arm. “At the temple, the priest chants and then you say it back.”

He lifts the pen to look down at her with a strange look in his eyes.

“You had a dream?” She asks softly, remembering that he didn’t really look awake.

He shakes his head, closing the book and pulling her into his lap. “Vision. Do you know the difference?”

“The Force guides us,” she recites the common refrain from the temple mass.

“My grandfather is the High Priest of our family temple, he demands that I write the vision down.” He opens the book to show her. “He doesn’t trust many, so we write it in code known only to us. You were in my vision, Rey.”

She cuddles into his chest, looking down at the book then murmurs, “You laid me down on a fur and asked if I was comfortable.”

He stiffens under her, holding her tight. “What happened then?”

She looks up into his face, her finger tracing an unseen line down his face. “You had a scar and I could smell the incense, but then you were laying me on my pillow and giving me my bunny so I could sleep.”

“When did you see that,” he whispers as he runs his fingers along her hair.

She closes her eyes to focus. “You stopped chanting and I smelt the incense and responded like we are supposed to in the sanctum.”

She opens her eyes to find his right in front of her and she smiles as she pats his cheek.

“Rey, do you know what we chanted? It was the rite of claiming.”

She gasps.  _ Sith wedding.  _ She forces herself to stillness in his arms. “You are going to keep me?”

There are not many High Sith bound by Blood, she knows this from temple and all are viewed with reverence and a fair amount of fear. The houses of  _ Kenobi, Jarrus, Shan, Palpatine, Skywalk… _

“Amylin called you Skywalker,” she whispers on an exhale, pieces of the puzzle falling into place in a picture she can not yet see.

“Anakin Skywalker is my grandfather. He is blood bound to my grandmother Padme Naberrie Amidala.” He’s watching her closely, his fingers absently rubbing away any distress.

“The queen.” She can barely breathe and tries to wiggle away, but he holds her firm.

“Where are you going, sweetheart?” His voice is still gentle but the look in his eyes is not and she whimpers.

“Potty, please Ben,” she mutters as Kylo whines behind her.

“Good morning, Lil miss,” Mitaka says as he enters and brings in a soft pink tumbler with a straw. “I have your breakfast ready for you. You are going to be on a mostly liquid diet for the next couple of weeks.”

“She needs to potty first,” Ben says as he swings his legs over the edge and carries her to the bathroom, setting her on her feet in front of the toilet then heads to the closet.

She’s washing her hands when he returns in athletic wear, a small pile of clothes in his hands for her. She stays silent as he pulls off her nightgown and helps her dress, watching carefully for signs of distress in his face.

Today he puts her in layers, leggings covered by sweatpants, a long sleeve shirt covered by a dark blue hoodie with bunnies on it, thick socks and tennis shoes. Then he carries her to the kitchen and sets her directly on the counter.

Mitaka hands her the tumbler, “You’ll be drinking about every 3 hours for the next couple of days, Miss Rey, so you better get started.”

She doesn’t realize she’s crying until Ben’s thumb brushes her cheek, his face distraught. “What is it, my Rey? Did I frighten you?”

The question shocks her and she pushes back to look up at him. “I can’t eat yet, I need to go to temple.”

“Rey, the new moon is not for four more nights, and we will only go then if my grandfather has returned,” Ben begins as Kylo jumps up on the counter to comfort her distress.

“Master, hold on.” Mitaka holds out his hand and she hands him the tumbler. He shakes his head, sets it aside then reaches out his hand to her again and waits.

Rey looks up at Ben for permission and he simply puts her hand in the one outstretched himself, earning a look of approval as Mitaka places his other hand on top of both, capturing them together.

“Rey, do you remember chanting this morning?” She nods. “Do you know what you were chanting?”

“Ben told me.”

“Do you know what happens next?”

Rey looks up at Ben and tries to make him understand. “There’s a bowl on the altar and we are supposed to drink.”

Ben exhales as if relieved and kisses her forehead. “I love you, my Rey.” He reaches into the dish drainer and hands her the  _ chawan _ . Her eyes widen as understanding sets in. 

“My family is High Sith. We carry our temples in here,” he says as he points to his head. “We carry it here.” He moves his hand to his chest. “And we carry it here.” He adjusts his pants and she looks up to see a blush bloom across his face. “For the rites, we carry the  _ chawan.” _

Mitaka tugs her ear. “Miss Rey, the bowl of offering is used for more than the rite of claiming. Master Ben promised to protect and provide for you, did he not?”

She nods.

“You are not yet old enough to drink from a bowl, so it’s in your breakfast. Are you going to refuse him?” He offers her the tumbler and she grabs it, hugging it to her chest as Ben chuckles. “I am also putting your medications in your drinks, so please, let's keep to schedule.”

She takes a drink.  _ Banana. _ Not her favorite, but she drinks it anyway as they watch her, Ben rubbing her back.

When she’s finished, he sets her down and leads her outside to Anton with Kylo trailing closely behind. They climb into an ATV and Anton heads down a trail behind the cottage into the woods.

“Where are we going?” She holds onto Ben tightly as they go around a sharp curve past a fenced area with lots of barking.

“That’s the kennels where Kylo was bred,” he tells her when he notices her staring at the puppies. “We are going to the training center. We both have physical therapy, doctor’s orders.”

Anton drives them past a huge lake, but instead of going over the bridge, he makes a sharp left turn and follows the river to a gated complex. The guard waves them through, smiling at Rey.

There’s activity everywhere. Teams of men, walking in ordered groups between the buildings. She jumps when she hears a series of pops and turns to look in the direction of the noise.

“Shooting range, Lil Rey,” Anton laughs as he points to the far end of the complex. 

They stop in front of what appears to be an office building, and Anton escorts them inside, past security to an elevator. Once inside, Anton drops to one knee in front of her. “Rey, I want you to remember this building and all the steps to get here, okay?”

He lifts her left hand to the control panel and it immediately illuminates. “Your code is 1-1-1-9.” He punches the buttons for her, then hits enter and the elevator moves. 

Down.

After what seems an eternity of gripping Ben’s hand, the doors finally open to a grated metal crosswalk that crosses a cavern that stretches deep down into the earth. The sounds of trickling water make her want to potty. 

When she hesitates, Ben picks her up and carries her over the dark expanse. “Fear will get you killed, Lil Bit. You must master it before it masters you.”

He places her down in front of another display and waits. She looks up at him, then the display and lifts her hand to the panel, confused when it doesn’t work.

Ben chuckles, grabbing her hand and lifting a little higher. “Your watch activates it, sweetheart.”

When the panel lights up she presses the buttons. 1-1-1-9 then hits enter, laughing as the doors open.

He leads her through the sitting area into an office and uses his watch to activate the next panel, his body blocking her view of his code, but she counts off 18 beeps.

“This is the vault,” he says, holding her hand to step into the dark room. It’s circular with six doors evenly spaced along the walls. Ben goes to one door, places his hand in the center then leans forward while a line traces down his face. “This one is ours.” 

He leads her up a short flight of stairs into a large room, with a bed at the center. “It also doubles as a safe room. Come here, my Rey.” He leads her to a desk and places her wrist over the reader, then enters her fingerprints one by one.

“This will let you access your own safe here in our vault.” He takes her to one of the lower panels. “Put your hand in the center, and don’t pull away, it’s going to prick your thumb.”

She puts her hand in the indent and moves her thumb up to the pad, sucking a breath through her teeth when the needle strikes. She hears Ben tapping away at the keyboard and then a click and the door opens, revealing several empty shelves.

Ben kneels beside her and places the black book inside. “Since the vision was about you, we are going to hide this in here. Now pick a 4 digit code, not my birthday this time.” He closes the door and opens the panel to the keypad and looks away to give her privacy as she enters a code and hits enter then closes the panel.

“I can’t get in here by myself?” She wraps her arms around his neck, laying her head on his shoulder as he carries her out of the vault. 

“When you are ten, we will give you access to our room. In an emergency, you come to the office and wait for another family member.” He carries her back to the elevator, Anton pushing a button to take them back to the surface.

Their next stop is a training room across the quad labeled Team Ren. The rest of the security team is there, talking to a man she has not met. Ben heads straight for him, reaching out to shake his hand. “Good morning Rex, I didn’t expect you to be back so soon.”

“I was asked to lead the advance party, they are sixty-three hours out.” The new man catches sight of Rey and takes a step towards her, immediately freezing when the entire team draws on him.

“You have not been introduced to our lil miss yet,” Thomas growls.

Rex holds up his hands and looks Ben in the eye. “Are you not going to introduce me?”

Kylo presses against Rey, nudging her behind Lukas and she circles around him to watch Ben, Joseph and Martin shifting towards her position.

“My grandparents get the next introductions,” Ben says with a smile. “Now, if you don’t mind, we have a training schedule to keep.”

Rex keeps his hands up, fingers splayed as he heads to the door.

“Commander,” Anton calls out. “Is Lord Skywalker on the grounds today?”

She takes Ben’s hand and looks up into his face as Rex replies, “He left before sunrise to get a closer look at the Hux incident.”

They all holster their weapons as the door closes and turn to Rey. Lukas drops down to one knee. “Well done. Do you know what to do if it escalates?”

She puts her other hand on Lukas’s face with a small pat. “Follow Kylo?”

“That will work until you complete training,” Ash says, looking down at his clipboard. “According to the Doc, Lil Rey, you are to take walks to build up your stamina and get fresh air. When you can walk 2 miles without fatigue you can start resistance training. Ben, PT, weight training and laps.”

Ben looks down at her, “You’ll take Kylo and one of the team with you. Who’s first?” He laughs when she immediately looks at Lukas. “Okay, sweetheart, but this afternoon you’ll be with Thomas.”

The entire team chuckles when she turns her head just enough to catch the man in question at the edge of her vision.

Lukas holds out his hand. “Come on little miss, we have a two mile walk. Let’s see at what rate you need to rest.”

“I don’t think that’s what the doc meant,” Joseph says, looking at Ben. “He means to walk until tired, gradually working up to two miles.”

Ash checks the paperwork again and nods.

“I was trying to give her a destination to walk towards, the path to the kennels is about a mile long. I can always give her a ride back,” Lukas smiles down at her.

Ben kneels cupping her face. “Okay, Lil bit, what are your rules?”

She thinks for a moment then says, “Stay with Kylo and Lukas, don’t talk to anyone you have not introduced me to and if Lukas says he needs to take me to Kylo, we leave immediately.”

Ben leans forward to kiss her forehead then the intense look returns to his eyes. “What else?”

Rey tries to weigh the value of admitting what she knows to be true verses making him say it out loud. If they were alone, she might risk it, but the security team had not only been there last night, they had joined in the chant. “I belong to you.”

The roar that comes from the men around them is nothing compared to the victory in her Ben’s eyes and she leans forward to kiss his cheek, then follows Lukas to the door with Kylo by her side.

“Okay, Miss Rey, you walk at a comfortable pace and we will shadow,” Lukas says in a low tone as he keeps himself between her and the teams they pass in the hall on their way out of the training facility. 

Groups stop and openly stare as they cross the open quad and head for the perimeter fence. Lukas stops at a gate and holds his wrist over the security pad. “Your watch works on all the gates, but in the event of an emergency I don’t want you to use it. Point to the pad and tell Kylo to open, his collar doesn’t log a breach. You are also small enough to give him a destination and follow him through the K9 access points.”

He secures the gate behind them and they follow a trail to a clearing and firmly states. “Kylo, kennel.”

Kylo starts down a trail that she had not noticed and she follows with Lukas watching over her from behind. “Kylo is, what we call, taking point. He’s going first. I am bringing up the rear, watching our six. That’s for anyone who might be coming up from behind us.” 

Rey takes her time going over the uneven terrain but tries to speed up when there are flatter sections. Kylo, however, is soon blocking her path, forcing her to stop.

“You are breathing too hard, Miss. Time to rest.” Lukas hands her an opened bottle and she goes to take a drink. “Stop.”

Her eyes fly to Lukas at his harsh tone. He points to the lip of the bottle. “New rule. We only drink out of containers that we have opened ourselves. That means if you do not see and hear the seal break right in front of you, you don’t drink.”

“But you gave it to me?” 

“Did you see me break the seal?” His eyes soften when she shakes her head no. “And don’t pretend to drink either, there are some things that can be easily absorbed through your lips.”

He opens his pack, takes out a brand new bottle and shows her the seal, then opens it for her and she drinks. She laughs when he drinks from the first bottle with a wink.

The wind coming off the river is chilly and she shivers. “Let’s get you moving.” They start again, this part of the trail has a slight incline as they grow closer to a road. She grabs Lukas’s hand and waits to cross, closely watching as a line of vehicles approaches. The driver of the lead suv nods at them then raises a radio as the convoy slows, each vehicle shifting until there is a fortified arch blocking the road.

“Let’s go, lil miss.” Lukas guides her across and Rey can feel the eyes of the men in the trucks still on her as they climb the path towards the kennels on the other side. The convoy progresses down the road as soon as they’re out of sight.

“They were all looking at me,” she whispers as Kylo whines, stopping her to rest. She takes a long drink from her bottle, looking back the way they came.

“They look at you with hope, Miss.”

“Why hope?”

Lukas is reluctant, but finally replies, “Master Benjamin is the only heir.”

She finishes her water bottle and screws the lid on tight, laughing at how Kylo eyes the bottle. She tosses it up in the air, clapping her hands when Kylo leaps to catching it. She’s still laughing at his antics when the large dog goes completely still.

“Don’t move, wait for him to assess.” Lukas steps closer to her, scanning their surroundings as Kylo backs towards her, pushing her down the trail toward the kennel. “Okay, lil one. Walk normally, let’s go.”

Rey takes point, both her protectors focused on what’s behind and as she approaches the sound of puppies barking. Inside the gate is a huge grassed area with all sorts of tunnels, ramps, rings and poles littered throughout. She chuckles at the playground as the puppies all notice her and abandon their playtime to storm the fence, yipping loudly. Kylo presses into her from behind and she follows the fence, but stops before reaching the corner to look at the man leaning against the adjacent fence. She mimics his stance and waits for Lukas, pointing over her shoulder when he looks at her.

Lukas curses under his breath and she giggles as he steps around the corner to confront their nemesis. “You were told to wait, Rex.”

Rey rolls her eyes at his tone, taps her hip and walks around the two men towards the entrance, Kylo coming to her side.

“I’m not here to talk to her but to you. I must admit, I am surprised to see her wandering around alone.” This guy’s tone is all snark and she decides that she doesn’t like him.

The kennel entrance has a security pad and when she raises her wrist to access the door it opens with arpeggio like chime. The men behind the door immediately stand at attention.

She looks up at Lukas with wide eyes, who glares at the commander when he laughs. 

“Our little Miss would like to see Kylo’s puppies, Sergeant.” Lukas motions her forward and she follows her guide to a small structure and laughs when she’s surrounded by four puppies, all black and sweet. Their mother is laying on a large dog bed, calm and watchful. One of the puppies jumps up on her until Kylo growls and then it’s down on the ground with a whimper, subservient.

“They know who their daddy is,” the handler chuckles as he bends to pick up one of the pups. “This one has already been promised. She can play with the rest.”

Lukas leans toward the wiggling puppy, “She’s a sweetie.” He looks down at Rey to explain. “The girls get attached to women, so their handlers are all men when they are going to get traded.”

Rey sits on the floor, petting the soft fur of the boys and refusing to look up. “You don’t keep girls? You send them away?”

Lukas kneels down and puts a finger under her chin, but she twists away. She hears him sigh. “Come see, lil one. I’ll show you.”

She gives the pups a last rub then follows him out and around to a line of huge dog houses, double fenced with guards patrolling the perimeter.

“Once she is weaned she will come here until she goes to her new home. These three just arrived last week, all from different bloodlines. You can’t mate pups from the same litter, you get weak bloodlines. These ladies are in quarantine to make sure they do not bring any diseases into the kennel.”

Rey looks at the houses, each in the middle of a grassed yard. “How do they stay warm? Don’t they need water and food?”

Lukas looks at the handler and is answered as if he had asked the question. “The shelters are heavily insulated and climate controlled. Food and water dispensers are inside and on timer. They have a handler that checks in with them daily, and they have free access to their own yard. These ladies have two days left, but our new queen over here will get another week before we introduce her to Kylo.” He walks them down to the pen at the end, the large black lady lounging in the shade.

“Kylo is going to be a daddy again?” Rey smiles when the young bitch becomes interested enough to come to the inner fence. Kylo starts pacing the outer fence and everyone chuckles.

“I’d say he’s ready,” Lukas says as he taps Rey’s shoulder and motions towards the exit with his head.

She takes one last look at the new queen then nods at the handler, signing thank you.

She heads for the entrance and sees Mitaka waiting with a pink tumbler in his hands… and he’s talking to Rex. She looks up at Lukas who is shaking his head. “That guy is tenacious as hell.” When she looks confused he adds, “Rex doesn’t give up.”

“Miss Rey, I have your—“

Rey walks right past Mitaka with Kylo on her heel and a laughing Lukas strolling behind her as they exit. Lukas spots an ATV and leads Rey to it and they climb in, Mitaka running after yelling for them to stop. Lukas slows down long enough for him to climb in the back and Rey laughs as they speed away.

“Miss Rey, it’s time for you to eat.” He tries to hand her the cup but she shakes her head.

“I have a new rule. I didn’t see you make it, so I can't eat it.” She fist-bumps Lukas then grabs Kylo tight when they speed through a curve and giggles all the way to the training complex.

As soon as they stop, Mitaka tries again. “It’s time to eat, Miss Rey. Master Ben hired me to assist, at the moment that includes your meals.”

Rey swirls around to face him. “Do you work for my Ben?”

He blinks, looking back and forth between them. “I have worked for the Skywalkers my entire adult life.”

Lukas stiffens and Rey watches his face as he thinks over that statement. “Benjamin Solo is a Master now, if you had to choose, whose order would you follow?”

Mitaka blinks, his mouth opening and closing in shock. 

Lukas chuckles and grabs the tumbler, handing it to Rey who drinks it with a scrunched-up nose. 

“Banana is not my favorite,” she mumbles as she gets out of the atv and heads in to find Ben.

Mitaka gets behind the wheel and mutters, “Good to know.” Driving off in a huff.

Lukas puts his hand on the handle to their door and looks down at her fondly, “Good catch. We will need to clarify that with Ben.”

She shrugged. “He was very cozy with that snarky Rex guy.”

As they enter the gym, Rey drinks her meal while Lukas heads to Ash and Ben, who are doing pull ups in the corner. Joseph and Martin are doing one arm pushups on the mats and Anton is looking at his datapad with a curious expression on his face. But where is…

“Looking for me, lil one?” Hands grip her waist and lift, tossing her up with a spin and he catches her so they are face to face.

She’s proud of two things. 

She didn’t drop her drink and she did not scream.

She hangs there, looking at him in the eye, her breaths shallow and waits. She can hear a couple of chuckles behind her and she relaxes, then brings the straw back to her mouth.

He laughs at the look on her face as he sets her down. “What’s wrong?”

She sighs dramatically. “It’s banana flavored.” She finishes it quickly then adds, “and I didn’t watch him make it.”

“Two valid complaints,” Thomas kneels down to her eye level. “What did you learn this morning?”

“When I walk too fast, my chest gets tight. They send the girl puppies away. Don’t use my watch at access points during emergencies, it sets off a chime that makes everyone act different. Commander Rex doesn’t like being told no and I am not to drink anything I don’t see opened in front of me, from anyone.”

He sits on the mat in front of her, crossing his legs in front of him and pointing at the floor in front of him. She sits, apparently leaving too large a space between them because he reaches and pulls her closer until her knees are touching his legs.

“Breathing exercises expand your lungs, but first let's fix your posture.” He positions her shoulders even to her hips, closes her ribs with one hand and pats her belly. “Inhale using your diaphragm first, then keep inhaling until you fill your lungs all the way to the top, then keep inhaling.”

She does her best, but she coughs so horribly that Ben comes and cradles her in his lap as she catches her breath. Thomas breaks seal on a water bottle right in front of her then holds the bottle to her lips for her to sip. As she catches her breath, she yawns, fatigue overwhelming her and she cuddles into Ben’s chest.

“Times of rest are in Doc Cecil’s instructions, Master.”

“She faded fast, are we sure she’s okay?”

“I sent Mitaka a message to bring her a blanket and her bunny,” Lukas’s voice whispers.

“Rex wants to know if we want a medic.”

“Why’s he watching us so close?”

“I am a medic. Her pulse is steady. She exercised and then had food, a nap seems to be what’s next for her schedule.”

“How can you be sure? We’ve never had a little girl before.”

Ben rocks her, whispering into her ear. “You hear that, Lil Bit? You have all six of them wrapped around your finger already. You can rest, we will watch over you.”

She smiles as the others grumble without any real malice, her body relaxing, comfortable enough to not mind when she’s lifted against a wide chest and rocked into a deep sleep.


	6. Training part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He looks at the little girl asleep in Thomas’s arms and shakes his head. “She’s really quite remarkable.”  
> “She has the sight,” Ben whispers under his breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, if you have any triggers, I humbly ask you to check the tags.

Mitaka walks into the training center, basket in one hand, backpack and a large gold gift box in his other arm. He lifts his watch to the access panel and rolls his eyes when the display flashes, _processing._

When he applied for the position to be first assistant to the Skywalker heir, he expected to be involved in intrigue, both in the company and the Queen’s court. That he might be caught between Ben and Lord Vader had never occurred to him.

That little Rey had seen it so quickly made him wonder about many things. 

The door pops open. “Hey Mitaka, come on in,” Ash says with a smile. “Is that lunch?” 

He hands over the basket with a smile, you can always trust security to eat, then follows him into the gym. 

His eyes scan the room, the lil one asleep, Ben lifting weights with Anton spotting him. He crosses the room. “Ben, can we talk?”

At Ben’s nod, Anton joins the others across the room and Mitaka sits shoulder to shoulder with his… Boss? Protectee? Something else? 

He looks at the little girl asleep in Thomas’s arms and shakes his head. “She’s really quite remarkable.”

“She has the sight,” Ben whispers under his breath. “Keep in mind that we are watched in here. If this is about what she said on the way back from the kennels, I am not concerned. I’ll tell you why when we next go to the temple.”

He stiffens at that. Mitaka is a faithful Sith, attends on all the holy nights, but he is not a High Sith. He has only ever been in the outer court, never the inner sanctum.

“I am not High—“

Ben puts his hand on Mitaka’s shoulder and squeezes, “I don’t expect you to undergo the rights. I need your eyes, your ears and your mind.”

When he nods, Ben relaxes. “May I ask about last night?”

The smile that lights Ben’s face makes him look so young and Mitaka joins him in looking at the little lady across the room.

“Not here, later. What’s that?” Ben points to the gift box.

“A gift arrived at the cottage for Miss Rey from the Queen.” Mitaka places it flat on the bench in front of them as Ben motions for Lukas to scan.

After a few moments Lukas shrugs, “Looks like a tablet, headphones, jewelry box and a piece of fabric. Can’t tell if it’s a blanket or cloak.”

“She’s going to hate you peaking,” Joseph calls from his place near Thomas. Anton adjusts the jacket they have placed over the girl. In fact, the entire team has surrounded her.

“Is that normal,” he whispers to Ben.

Ben sighs and keeps his voice low. “They aren’t just security. They are all sensitive to the force and she’s like a light. It’s what first drew me to her. We really can’t talk about this here.” Ben picks up the gift and carries it over to grab lunch, laying the box near Thomas.

Mitaka watches them as they eat, joking back and forth. He knows from the briefing packet Lord Vader supplied him that Ash and Anton have been with Ben the longest, the rest of them added at Ben’s request over the years. The longer he watches, little things start to grab him. Facial expressions, hand and eye movements that do not sync with the topic of conversation. 

“Can I learn that?”

They all stop and look at him, Anton the only one joining Ben in a smile. “And that’s why I picked him,” Ben says, taking a drink of water. “We are going to need him for optics as we go forward. And…” He lowers his voice, “They will never suspect him.”

The team looks at him as if they are meeting him for the first time. Lukas types into his datapad then looks up at him, “Press your update code.”

Mitaka presses the two buttons simultaneously three times, waits and then once again, nodding when the programming resets.

Joseph throws him a sandwich and Martin pats the bench next to him and Mitaka joins his new team for lunch.

“It’s not that simple,” he hears a low voice growl.

“Thomas,” Ben warns.

“No.” Thomas turns to look him directly in the eye. “You have to love her.”

___________

_You have to love her._

_That won’t be hard._

_Do you love her?_

_Don’t you?_

_Well sure, but I wear my heart on my sleeve._

_Bullshit_

_Language_

_She’s asleep._

_Her heart rate says different._

_You awake, baby girl? Or dozing?_

Mitaka asks quietly, “Perhaps she doesn’t want a gift from the queen.”

She stops breathing, and they all laugh. 

Thomas hugs her to him. “You don’t have to open it, lil girl. But if you aren’t going to, can I have it?”

It’s so ridiculous that she can’t help it, she laughs and opens her eyes. Thomas is looking down into her face with a smile. His eyes are looking at her fondly, but they’re still full of pain. 

She sits up and grimaces as her bladder complains. “I need to go potty, please,” she whispers.

Thomas stands with her in his arms and carries her into the team locker room. He sets her down in front of the toilet then turns his back to her, guarding the open stall.

She looks back and forth between his back and the potty and crosses her arms over her chest.

“I’ve already seen you naked, lil girl. We have matching scars.” He pulls up the left leg of his sweatpant and shows her the cut on the back of his ankle, then kneels and slides the neck of his shirt to the side to reveal the healed wound on the back of his neck. “I will protect you.”

Her fingers are shaking when she reaches to trace the thick line on the back of his neck and he stiffens, then exhales, relaxing into his stance. His head bows the moment her lips kiss the mark. She turns and uses the potty, wipes, fixes her clothes and flushes. It’s not until he pulls a stool to the sink for her to wash her hands that he sees the tears streaming down her face.

“Lord Vader does not tolerate the Sith Eternal here, Miss Rey,” his voice is hoarse and low… tortured. “We got away, that’s all that matters.”

That confuses her but she pushes it aside to ask, “How long were you there?”

Thomas uses his thumbs to dry her tears, but they keep coming. “You are going to get me in trouble, lil girl. Damn it, go to Ben, sweetie.”

Rey runs past a whining Kylo, straight into Ben’s arms to bury her face into his neck.

“Master, I...”

“Not here, Thomas.” Ben carries her back to the group and holds her close, rocking gently. She slowly relaxes, a feeling of calm infusing her.

She opens her eyes to find a curious Mitaka looking at each of them closely, so she scans the room. Anton’s eyes are closed, a small smile on his face. Joseph’s face is peaceful. Thomas is kneeling on the floor in front of Ben’s feet, fists gripped tight on top of his knees, head bowed, radiating sorrow.

“No!” She pushes out of Ben’s lap and hugs Thomas, patting his hair, then pulling when sorrow transforms into shame. “Stop it, right now,” she demands, stomping her foot as the rest of the team laughs, Mitaka included. Thomas rolls his eyes and tickles her.

“What makes you think you can tell me what to do,” he playfully teases as he pulls her into his lap.

The look in his eyes is better now and she smiles up at him, then she crooks her finger for him to bend so she can whisper into his ear, “Because you now belong to me.” She slips out of his lap when he goes still and goes to the big gold box. 

“Nana sent that for you, my Rey,” Ben says with mild irritation in his voice as he glares at Thomas.

She pulls the top off the box and pulls open the tissue to find a soft fluffy blanket in a gold swirl pattern. She starts to pull the fabric, but it’s heavy and she starts digging to pull out 3 more packages.

“Is it my birthday,” she asks with a laugh. She feels Ben stiffen, but she’s struggling with the taped box in her hands. “Does anyone have a knife?”

“When is your birthday, Miss Rey?” Mitaka’s voice is amused as he bends over her with a small pocket knife to open the box.

“I don’t know,” she says as she holds up a pair of gold toned headphones then puts them on her head, but they’re too big and the band slips down over her eyes.

Ben reaches around her to grab the jewelry box, popping open the box and exhales loudly in relief. “I love my Nana.”

Rey looks over the hinged lid, curious. Ben pulls out the necklace, a thin chain with a delicate gold filigree sun pendant.

“Come here, my Rey, lift your hair.” Ben holds up the necklace, gently wrapping it around her neck and fastens the clasp. “The sun is the symbol for the House of Naberrie, my Nana’s family. By giving this to you, she’s telling everyone that you are family.” He turns her to face him, his hand cupping her jaw to lift her eyes. “Tell me again, Rey.”

She blinks. “Tell you what?” She tries hard to keep her face blank, but a snicker from behind her has a giggle escaping as his gaze turns intense again. “I belong to you.”

It’s as Ben is kissing her forehead that multiple alerts sound from multiple devices in the room, including Rey’s watch.

She looks down at her display and reads _Ravager_ and under it a clock, counting down: 58:48:33

There’s a multitude of cursing that fills the room and Mitaka puts her headphones over her ears as the team starts a very animated discussion around a tablet.

“Hello dear Rey,” she hears through the headphones. “Your tablet is still in the box, get it sweetheart.” She lifts the blanket and pulls out the pad, turning it over to reveal a very beautiful woman with long brown hair. “Do you know who I am?”

Rey looks behind her at Mitaka, who has placed his hand over his heart and is bowing, then looks back at the screen. “You are the Queen.”

The woman laughs. “To Mitaka, yes. Try again.”

“You are Ben’s Nana.” The woman’s face lights up as Ben lifts her into his lap, putting himself in the display. “That is correct. Do you want to try again, dear one?”

Rey leans into Ben’s chest as Kylo forces his head into her lap to aleve her distress.

“It’s okay to admit that there is something unknown to you Rey, it’s the first step in learning something new.”

Rey shrugs. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”

The queen holds up a finger, looking at something beyond her screen and then shakes her head. “No, that can wait. Step outside and make sure I’m not disturbed.”

She then looks at Rey, “My husband thinks he’s being clever, dear one. You have a watch?” She nods when Rey holds up her left wrist. “Good. Did you, yourself, get a Ravager alert? Don’t answer out loud, just nod.” Rey nods and the woman rolls her eyes. “Do you know what it means?” She shakes her head no.

“It’s a test. It’s not the team he’s testing, it’s you and I can tell you right now... he’s going to cheat,” Ben’s Nana says, her face lighting up mischievously. “But don't worry, I’m going to help you.”

Rey laughs and the men around her start to look worried. “Did you know they send the girl puppies away?”

The queen blinks then turns serious. “Rey, listen to me. Those pups are not sent away as if they are nothing. They are of higher value than their male counterparts, they are treasure. Do you understand?”

Rey shakes her head no, scratching Kylo’s ear. She opens her mouth to ask a question, but the Queen looks up from her screen as if startled.

“Ani, you’re back. Is it time to go?” Her face has gone soft, her tone sweet.

Rey can hear a man in the background reply, “Everything’s packed, we will leave for the airport in an hour and be home in fourteen. Are you ready?”

“It will be good to be home, I want to meet Benjamin’s little one.”

The screen goes dark, the video call disabled and then a home screen appears, with multiple apps already loaded in.

Rey pulls off her headphones, looks at her watch then asks in a small voice, “What is Ravager?”

Ben freezes, gripping her wrist to look on its face. 

“Now Ben,” Ash begins as Rey’s forehead is kissed and she’s set on her feet. He walks away quickly, his phone to his ear. “What the hell are you doing, old man?”

The reaction from the team is a mixture of chuckles and groans… but even those have smiles in their eyes.

It is Joseph that pats the bench next to him, and explains. “Ravager is a training diagnostic exercise. Lord Vader likes to maintain readiness at all times. He tests it, and when it fails, he adjusts.”

“When it fails?” All of a sudden she feels so cold.

“Failure is a good teacher, baby girl. No one wins a Ravager exercise,” Anton replies, not looking up from his pad. “Okay, so here are the parameters for the exercise. Once it begins, it will last for eight hours. Rex’s team is tasked with capturing their target, we are to evade.”

“So, if we protect the target for eight hours we win?” That doesn’t sound so bad to Rey, in fact it might be fun. “It sounds like chess, protect our king.”

The smile Rey gives them falls when none of them meet her eyes.

“They aren’t after our king, Rey. They’re coming for you, that’s why your watch lit up. Lord Vader is telling Ben that if he wants a little, she better be able to hold her own.”

 _He’s going to cheat._ The queen had said. She also said she was willing to help, but she didn’t want it discussed here. “What is the timer for?”

They all laugh, except for Mitaka, who looks just as clueless as she feels and part of her wants to grab his hand, but he had been talking to Rex and she hasn’t talked to Ben yet.

“One time it was when the exercise began, another time was when it ended.”

“I highly doubt that it’ll begin before Lord Vader’s return, he likes to supervise where Ben is concerned.”

Ash shakes his head. “Ben’s watch didn’t fire. He had surgery yesterday, he will not be participating.”

Everyone grows silent. Mitaka breaks it with a quiet, “It’s time for Miss Rey to eat.” He pulls a thermos and a tumbler out of the food basket and pours, then hands it to her.

“Okay, her eating a liquid diet every three hours is going to be a challenge,” Lukas mutters as she takes a tentative drink.

Strawberry.

She sighs happily and signs thank you to a beaming Mitaka.

She drinks as they tell Mitaka of past exercises. Each ending in failure and with odd developments during the time involved… communication tricks, personnel changes, one time even going over the parameter of the order by half an hour.

She puts her empty tumbler in the basket and smiles as Ben comes back, picks her up and hugs her tight. “I am going to need cuddles tonight when we get home.”

She nods against his neck and holds on until he’s ready to let go. “I love you, Ben. He can’t change that.”

“You still have laps, Master and you need to stretch more before you get into the pool,” Anton reminds him with a grin. “Rey, do you know how to swim?”

She shakes her head and clings to Ben.

“She’s not allowed in the pool yet, she has to take her walks. Doctors orders.” Ash’s voice is firm.

She kisses Ben's cheek and then pushes away from his chest, wiggling until he sets her gently on the floor. “Remember Rey, you are mine.”

She gives him her biggest smile, pats her thigh for Kylo, picks up her tablet and heads towards the door. When she tries, her watch doesn’t deactivate the lock so she points to the access pad and says, “Kylo, door.”

Kylo jumps up, his collar unlocking the door mechanism and Rey pushes it open, letting Kylo out first then looks over her shoulder. 

“Master, can Martin and Joseph join Thomas and I on our walk?”

Ash’s eyebrows shoot up, Mitaka seems to be studying her and Anton elbows Lukas in the side as they both laugh.

Martin and Joseph have already grabbed their bags and are heading towards her when Thomas exits to take point.

This time the hall clears for them to pass and Rey keeps her head up despite all of the eyes on her. Thomas leads them to an ATV and they all climb in. Rey scans the yard as they leave the compound, and catches a glimpse of Commander Rex near the gate talking to a hooded figure. Both of them take note of her as she leaves.

“Where are we going?”

“We need to talk somewhere private.”

“Ash wasn’t tagged for the exercise.”

“Vader is trying to keep our tactician out of the loop.”

“”Hey, I’m normally fine playing dumb, but this is just insulting.”

They drive up the side of a mountain and get out to walk a trail.

“We are going to need decoys for Kylo.”

“We are under warning orders, we can requisition anything in inventory.”

“Okay, I made it through Rex’s firewall. He has 8 men listed on his team for the event.”

“Which means we need to plan for 20.”

“I’m thinking we need to…”

Rey walks in the center of the formation, listening intently as they plan, shifting puzzle pieces around in her head.

“They’ll pull Ben to the palace, probably make him watch.”

Rey laughs, “So he is part of the game.”

They all fall silent then start to curse. “So Vader’s going to subject Ben to the mind fuck, but how?”

“Language.”

They’re silent for a moment then all stop and look at her.

“Rey, what do you think we should do?”

She stops, checks the timer on her watch. 58:01:57 

_He told the queen fourteen hours, so we have just over thirteen to get ready._

She looks up at them with a small smile and says, “Cheat.”


	7. Ravager

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He has no choice but to trust his team.

It’s just after 2am in the morning when Ben is escorted by Vanee into the throne room of the Queen’s court.

“I don’t like this,” Ash says under his breath as they approach the empty throne. 

Ben totally agrees. He had been awakened forty-five minutes before with a report that his grandmother’s plane had landed. He’d checked on Rey, asleep in her bed with Kylo at her feet, then jumped into the shower. He’d just finished shaving when Mitaka had knocked on the door with the summons and the _chawan._

Now he was entering the Palace for the first time as a Master, head held high and robes flowing, with Mitaka’s parting words echoing in his head.“Today is all about perception, Master. My advice is to look bored with Lord Vader’s games while playing one of your own.”

Well, bored was just not his style buthe was determined to try. His grandfather, when he finally showed up, would be in full-on game mode expecting to find Ben impatient, frustrated and afraid for his Rey.

He has no choice but to trust his team.

He looks over at Ash who is pacing back and forth and laughs. “What has gotten into you?”

“Lord Vader activates Ravager, but not the two of us, then adds in our Rey. He goes too far.” Ash strokes his beard in frustration. “Where is he?”

“He’s delaying to throw us off balance,” Ben says with a shrug. “Let me guess, you will be playing the part of me today?”

“Joseph’s idea.” They both chuckle. The other members of their team had spent the evening before with their heads together, plotting. There had been a lot of snickering, to see his friends turned loose was going to be interesting to watch. “Seriously though Ben, do you have any idea what they are going to do?”

Last night, he had decided as he held his girl close that he was better off not knowing. If he didn’t know, he couldn’t get nervous or give anything away to his grandfather. 

Lukas had asked for Rey a couple times but she had quickly returned to him and held him close. “What are you most afraid of,” she had asked him in a small voice at dinner. His answer did not seem to surprise any of them and Thomas had immediately sent Ash to the temple for the _Remen_. Her chastity was now protected.

The doors to the family wing open and the guards march in to line the perimeter. The black tactical gear covered by a golden tabard with the blazing sun of the House of Naberrie. The tactical helmet’s gleaming mirrored surface hides a vast array for information feeds. Of course, all of this was covered by the Skywalker blue cloak that symbolizes for the entire world that his grandmother is covered by her Sith.

“No, I have no idea and neither do you,” Ben mutters under his breath as his grandfather enters the room alone.

They both salute, left palm facing the floor in front of their chest as their right fist taps up into it twice. Then Ben places his right hand over his heart with a slight bow.

“Welcome home,” he says with a smile as his grandfather stops before him. He mirrors his mentor’s welcome by placing his right hand on Vader’s left shoulder.

“You’ve gotten taller.” Anaken’s face is full of warmth, his hand squeezing affectionately.

“Or you’ve gotten shorter.” 

Ash chokes behind him and Ben steps aside as Vader extends his hand. “Commander.”

“Lord Vader, welcome back.”

Anaken looks at the eyes around the room then motions for them to follow, leading them behind the dias to a set of double doors, hidden from view by the large throne.

The two guards on either side open, then step aside, allowing them to pass. Then one stands in front of the opening, while the second closes the door behind them and stands at attention, blocking their exit.

The tactics center is not new to either of them and Ben sits in his usual seat across from his grandfather’s desk. “The summons said it was from Nana.”

Vader does not sit. “You knew it wasn’t.” He picks up a remote and the monitors covering the back wall come to life, each showing an image of the cottage.

Lukas walking the perimeter with Kylo.

Joseph cycling their cameras.

Mitaka asleep on the couch.

Thomas seated on the bench at the bottom of his bed, sharpening his knives.

Martin as he relaxes against the large bunny in Rey’s room, watching over her as she sleeps curled around her stuffie.

“Where is Anton,” Vader asks into his Bluetooth.

“He was walking a wider arch of the perimeter, pretty sure he’s found blue team by now.” Rex’s voice is clear thru comms. “We are in position and ready to go.”

Ben exhales and waits.

“Nothing to say?” Vader raises an eyebrow.

Oh he could say plenty, but nothing that will prevent what is about to happen to his girl. “You have never allowed the blood of a treasure to be spilled. I trust you.”

“Commander Rex, Ravager is a go.” 

_Ravager activated,_ the console declares as the automated systems engage, locking down the Palace, Temple and other sensitive areas. The timer on the wall counts down from 8 hours. Vader walks around to sit in the chair next to Ben as they listen to Rex’s tactical team breach the cottage.

One problem.

They hear the glass break, the flash bangs fire, the voices of the team yelling clear as they move through the small house.

The feeds of the cameras show none of it, Rey is still laying in her bed, safely asleep with her security looking bored.

Ash chuckles behind them, clearing his throat to stand at attention when Vader glares at him.

“Asset is not on the premises, my Lord.”

“Track and acquire, Commander.”

“Yes, sir.”

The comms go silent and Ben looks at his grandfather and waits. There is a click from the remote and the feeds go dark. “You were asked to wait.”

Ben shrugs. “Circumstances changed.”

Vader pushes his hand through his hair and circles his desk, pulling a file and laying it open. “Have you read the Jakku report?”

Ben relaxes his fists and stretches his fingers before looking up to meet Vader’s eyes. “I did.”

Anaken leans over the desk, his hands planted firmly on either side of the open folder. “Before or after you took her from the house?”

Ben glances at the surface of the desk, trying to discern which part has complicated what should be a very simple thing. The police report is on top and he shudders at the questions that are still unanswered. “Mother gave it to me the evening I told her I wanted to bring Rey home. I have questions, but I trust the force. My Rey sings to me.”

Vader’s eyes narrow, rimmed in gold. “I haven’t named her a treasure yet.”

Ben waves that threat away with a roll of his eyes. “A treasure you already have, impossible for you to name another.”

“DON’T YOU DARE QUOTE YODA TO ME.” The temperature in the room drops as everything in the room goes still except the clock.

Ben blinks, assessing the energy that is pulsing through him. The fear coming off of his grandfather tickles at the back of his neck, pulling his skin tight. What the hell?

Vader rubs his hand over his face, releasing the energy and starts to pace. “You have brought a potential threat into our lives and into your grandmother’s house.”

Ben scoffs with a laugh. “She’s a little girl! You are the one who had me searching Skywalker house for a pet. How was I to know the force would bring me a treasure?”

His grandfather turns, tapping his knuckles upon the desk as his eyes turn sad. “But can you keep her?”

There is a bittersweet silence that falls in the room and Ben closes his eyes to meditate. He immediately feels Ash’s mind, strong and full of purpose, then his Grandfather’s, who feels fatigued. When he is flooded with a wave of comfort and acceptance he exhales with relief— he’s not alone.

He opens his eyes. “Will you help me?”

The old priest opens his mouth to answer but is cut off by an alert on the comms from Commander Rex. “My Lord, someone has disabled the entire tracking system. We are blind.”

“Commander Rex, using the tracking system during the Ravager is against the rules of engagement,” Ash declares, lodging a formal complaint.

“Didn’t stop them when I was nine,” Ben comments, looking bored.

“Neither of you were supposed to be involved in strategic planning for this exercise,” Rex barks back.

“The only thing I told her was that she was allowed to ask for help.”

“And what did she ask?” Vader is trying not to laugh, but manages to keep it out of his voice.

“What I was most worried about and when I told her she asked the team what could be done to ease my mind.”

“Oh, did she?”

Ash chuckles. “I think she is more worried about him getting through Ravager than herself.”

“Well then, that’s a lesson she will have to learn. Rex, activate the rest of your squad.”

“Yes, Lord Vader.” The audio disengages with an audible click.

Ash paces behind him while Ben studies his grandfather. When had he aged? There’s a fatigue to him that Ben has never noticed before. “Any news on what happened with Brendol? I know he was an associate of yours.”

Vader collapses into his chair. “He was our best lead on the temple raids, he knew more than he was letting on.”

“Raids? That is a gross understatement.” Ash pulls his tablet and flips a file to the screens with pictures of eviscerated temple guards, garrotted priests, artifact vaults raided and libraries burned. “Over the last twenty years, nine temples have been desecrated. Nine.” The horror in the commander’s voice is palpable.

Ben had been eight when his grandparents had lost their closest friends. It was right after his first trip into the inner sanctum for the night of Ajunta Pall. He’d heard the Song of the Kyber and was inducted formally into the Sith. The celebration was supposed to last for a week, but their guests had not arrived, and the search had devastated them all. 

His grandfather has been on B _attue_ ever since, seeing threats everywhere. Ben starts to ask about the progress when the coms center activates again.

“7589 to 7567. Clearing four clicks north of the cottage. I have a nightgown and a lollipop wrapper, dogs have the scent, they’re headed towards the mountain.”

Rex’s response is instant. “Relay GPS coordinates via Echo system. We are coming to you.”

“Commander,” another voice interrupts. “7631. I am two clicks west of the cottage and I have the sweater she wore to the hospital. They might be laying false scents.”

“Affirmative. This is 7599, I have the track suit she wore yesterday to the west one click.”

There is silence for several minutes as the three points illuminate on the Echo display. Ben watches the clock wind down, it’s only been an hour and thirty-seven minutes. His team needs to find a way to slow the search down.

And slow it down, they do. Random items of Rey’s clothes are found in odd places: the firing range, the trail past the kennels, planetarium high on the mountain, the dock on the river, even in one of the helicopters on the flight deck. Ash is showing his amusement openly while Ben keeps watching the clock, 4:18:44 to go.

“Code Resolute, I repeat Code Resolute,” Rex’s frustrated voice fairly screams from the speakers. 

Vader reaches forwards and changes the frequency on the receiver. “Report.”

“My apologies, Lord Vader. Communication was compromised. I should have realized it hours ago. Trooper 7599 is Joseph from team Ren.”

Ben puts his hand in front of his mouth to hide his laughter as Anakin shakes his head trying to hold in a laugh as well.

“Commander, I have Thomas heading up the Iron Pass and he has Kylo with him.”

Ben looks at Ash in concern, his girl had bonded well with Thomas the day before and Rex knew it. Why would they pair her off with him?

The guard at the door clears his throat. “Excuse me Lord Vader, Lord Milo has arrived with a summons.”

At Vader’s nod, he opens the door, saluting as Milo walks in with a box under his arm. Ben stands in welcome and waits as Milo looks him over, inspecting his attire.

“It looks good on you, Master Benjamin.”

Ben smiles as his grandfather crosses his arms over his chest. “What are you doing here?”

“I was invited,” Milo pulls a red envelope from his inner coat pocket, sealed with black wax, opens it and pulls the card. “Please join Benjamin immediately at the palace to play chess.”

Vader grabs the card, rolls his eyes then hands it to Ben.

The smile that breaks his face upon seeing Rey’s signature is mirrored in Milo’s when he glances up at him. “And you brought a board,” Ben says as Ash pulls over a table to sit between the two chairs in front of the desk.

The next hour is spent comfortably distracted over a chess board as Rex gets regular updates from his team who have tracked Thomas to a cave.

“Commander, I have visual confirmation of Martin and Mitaka entering the cave. Mitaka has a pink cup.”

Ben checks the clock to see 2:33:54, he does the mental math and figures it to be around 8am, time for breakfast with her gift from the _chawan._

There is silence for a moment, then Anaken asks, “Anyone have eyes on Anton, Lukas or Joseph?”

Commander Rex curses then asks for each sector to report. After several minutes and chess moves later, it becomes evident that the northeast edge of the compound is a blackout zone. Rex just keeps getting bad news.

“Commander, I hate to tell you this, but the dog with Thomas is not Kylo.”

“Are you sure?”

“Unless Kylo somehow regressed, that dog can’t be more than a year old.”

Vader stands in front of the command console, blocking the view as Ben and Milo finish one game, Milo wins, and starts another. Ash grunts to prevent Ben from losing his bishop in the fifth round.

Milo smiles softly as he moves his knight to king four. “You have yet to move your queen.”

Ben pushes a pawn. “I’m feeling a bit protective of her today.”

“She seems to be doing well so far,” Milo says as he grins at Anakin. “Don’t you think, Lord Vader?”

“I think she’s letting her team do all the work.” Vader opens the body camera feeds of the team scouting the dead zone, watching for clues as the clock ticks under an hour left. They find the search teams all unconscious and tied to trees.

Rex meanwhile has set a perimeter around the cave and is preparing to strike.

Ben and Milo stop to watch and after a few moments, Ash leans over and moves Ben’s queen. “Check.”

“We have movement.”

The camera feed shows Mitaka, tucking a seemingly empty pink cup into his backpack and heading down the Iron Pass.

“The civilian has cleared the zone. We are ready to go.”

Milo huffs. “Mitaka wasn’t activated for this game of yours Ani?”

“He has only been with Team Ren for forty hours.” Vader pushes his mic and says, “Keep in mind that the cave is not stable. You are a go.”

They all end up shoulder to shoulder, watching the feed from the point man’s body camera. In the back of the cave is a small fire with two large hooded shadows around it. Ben can feel Ash’s amusement at the sight. There is no way Thomas would sit with his back to the cave opening. He glances at the clock, 12:49 left. 

“Careful,” Ash growls when two of Rex’s team moves to hit one of the cloaks hard, a laugh escaping when they almost fall through the prop.

The rest of the team quickly move around the cave. “Commander, here. Passage angled down.”

The cameras all sweep as they are forced single file down into the dark, the images tinge green when they are forced into night vision. 

When they come to an underground stream, they get a brief hint of movement at the far end as the water disappears beneath the limestone, then it’s gone. Rex orders half the squad into the water and the rest to circle back to the stream’s exit point above ground.

The ground team sights them first, but the two targets separate.

“Follow the one with Kylo,” Rex orders.

“They both have dogs, Sir.” The pursuers split as Thomas heads up the mountain, Martin down.

Ben keeps shifting his eyes between the screens and the clock, two minutes left. _Run guys, run._

Timer runs out, their watches all flashing red. Ben watches as Thomas stops running, out of breath. He’s surrounded and everyone looks closely to the pack attached to his chest, hints of brown hair blowing in the breeze.

Milo laughs, “I was wondering why they wanted those.”

Rex grabs the pack and pulls roughly, only to end up on the ground holding a doll.

Thomas growls. “She’s a little girl. I swear by the Shadow, Rex, if she’s hurt in this farce, you had better hope you kill me first.” He pushes past them and heads down the hill towards a surrounded Martin. That team holding a doll as well.

“Lord Vader, the tracking systems are back online.”

A map of the compound appears and every eye is drawn to the two dots on the back porch of the Palace labeled Joseph and Rey.

“Location acquired, Commander Rex. Proceed.” Vader presses several keys on his desk.

 _Ravager activated,_ the console declares as the automated systems engage, locking down the Palace, Temple and other sensitive areas. The timer on the wall counts down from 8 hours. 

Milo does not approve, his eyes narrowing dangerously. “Now, Anaken.”

Ben is watching the security feeds from behind the Palace. He sees Joseph tense as his watch indicates Ravager has restarted and he runs with his charge pressed into his chest, the gleam of her boots shining in the lights that are now flooding the area.

“Sir, the tracking system has been disabled again, I think they hacked into the mission parameters.”

They lose Joseph in the gardens and Vader curses when Rex reports that Martin and Thomas have also disappeared. 

“Let us return to our game, _Master_ Benjamin. Your team seems to be handling the old goat fairly well.” Milo’s tone is resigned but disappointed and they return to their game as Vader paces behind his desk. Milo protects his King.

Ben can feel his brothers pushing feelings of calm and reassurance at him and he exhales loudly. “I will be lodging a formal complaint, Lord Vader.”

His grandfather shrugs, unconcerned. “That will not get you very far.”

Ben takes another deep breath. “It’s not you I will be lodging it with, but the Queen. She has been looking forward to meeting my Rey. She sent her gifts yesterday.”

Vader stills and looks up. “Really?”

Ben smirks and moves his queen. “Check.”

Ash pulls his phone and sends a picture to Vader’s display from dinner the previous evening. Rey is sitting on Ben’s lap wrapped in the colors of the queen, the sun pendant fully evident around her neck.

The three of them chuckle and the variety of curses that come from the old man’s throat as his head hits his desk.

There is a knock at the door and the guard opens it immediately to reveal a handmaid of the Queen. 

“Lord Vader, your presence is required in the Throne room.”

Ben rises to follow but sits back down with a chuckle when Vader says, “Stay.”

Ash moves quickly behind the desk and pulls up the feeds to the Throne room. A box appears at the bottom requiring a security code, but they don’t need it to watch Vader kneel before his queen, Mitaka at her side.

Or to see her stern expression as the entire court watches, fascinated.

Or to see his head come up swiftly, his mouth open to respond only to be cut off by her pointing her finger straight at him then away.

Vader stands, shaking his head and stomps away, obviously grumbling.

Ash clears the feed, then quickly resumes his place at Ben’s shoulder as Milo defends his King, again.

Vader slams the door closed as he returns to his desk, a sneer on his face, then keys in a code. 

Four hours drop off the clock. 

“My Lord?” Commander Rex’s voice is shocked.

“The Queen received a formal complaint, take what you are given.”

Silence descends again as Ben loses against Milo, his focus on the screens. They watch as Mitaka leaves the Palace, Arthur holding the door for him, the car driving off the compound entirely.

“Targets in sight.” The cameras shift to show three men in full tactical gear racing off on motorcycles, a couple of SUV’s on their trail. Ben checks the clock, 2:22:54.

They split up.

“Stay with the third one, it has two RFID transmitters.”

Vader’s eyes narrow. “Explain.”

“We cannot use the tracking system, My Lord, but the devices are still transmitting, even if we can’t tell who is who. The cycle we are pursuing has two active units.”

“What if he’s only carrying her device?”

“Negative, Lord Vader,” Rex’s voice sounds predatory. “To be active it has to register a heartbeat, if the heartbeat stops or it’s taken off, the distress signal fires and that’s a separate system.”

 _Unless it’s in software update mode,_ Ben thinks but doesn’t say out loud. His grandfather turns to look at him, picking up on his smugness. 

“There’s a loop-hole, Commander. These two are hiding something.”

They watch as a third and a fourth vehicle is added to the chase, Commander Rex hanging off one side, ready to jump.

The bike veers hard left, heading up a trail, leaving the larger vehicles behind as he climbs towards the cliffs.

He’s cut off before he can hit the road and speeds up to drive over the side. The motorcycle falls away, clipping an outcropping and tumbling as a parachute unfurls pulling the rider and his cargo up and away from the cliff surface. The rigging is pulled left and they float out over the river to land in a waiting boat, Lukas obviously at the helm as they race away.

“Sir, I got a good read when he was under chute, only one human heartbeat. Smaller life-form could be a puppy or kitten, my guess is that her watch is around its neck. The asset was definitely not with him.”

The guard at the door comes to attention, his boot heels clacking together abruptly. “Yes, my Queen,” he says through his tactical helmet. He opens the door to admit Professor Tarkin.

“Imagine my surprise when I received a summons from young Rey.” He holds up a red envelope, opening it to withdraw the card. 

“Lord Anakin Skywalker is in need of a history lesson. Question: Is the vanquished allowed to make demands of the victor? And it is signed, Rey.”

Vader laughs and glances at the clock, 1:57:09. “She might just make it. So, what do you have to teach me?”

Tarkin sits in the chair Ash has pulled up to the chess board, examining the game with interest. “Oh, I think the question is the lesson, don’t you?”

“Commander Rex, I think I have their coms frequency identified. Someone’s earpiece is a poor fit.”

 _That would be his Rey._ Ben sighs and his grandfather pulls open the new channel.

“Thomas! Be CAREFUL, he’s behind you,” Rey whispers loudly via coms, then corrects herself. “Sorry. Thunder this is Bunny. Demon horde at your six.”

Thomas’s chuckle is followed by a loud thump.

“Oh please, teach me how to do that,” Rey says and they can hear her clapping her hands.

“How are you holding up, little girl?” There is more noise in the background.

“The demons have already checked my area three times, Lukas says the number three makes people comfortable, so I should be okay now.”

“Do you know what to do if they breach your perimeter?”

“Fall back to the first place I hid. Can I have Kylo back now?”

“Kylo needs to stay with us, not anywhere near you. You remember what’s a stake?”

Ben feels a sadness settle deep inside his chest and leans forward to catch her response. “The loser has to give up something to the victor.”

“That’s just to stop the hostilities sweetheart. The victor keeps the acquired spoils and he already has Benjamin sitting in his office. We are Sith, Rey, never forget that.”

Ben stands, looking into his grandfather’s golden eyes. “Oh, I wouldn’t try that old man. You don’t have time to raise a new heir.”

Ben can feel his grandfather pressing against his mind and he builds his defenses, Ash’s mind melding into help. When the third mind eases in to support him, Vader backs off and admits defeat.

“You have gotten stronger.”

A high pitch squeal blares over the speakers and they all cringe. 

“Leave it in your ear, Miss Rey,” they hear Joseph whisper, “or use your device to press mute before you adjust it.”

Over the next half hour, Rex’s team returns to the areas they have already cleared, looking for the little girl. Milo and Tarkin’s chuckles finally forcing Vader to relax.

“I have a question, Lord Vader.” Tarkin asks as he looks up from the preliminary reports, “Where is Anton?”

Vader leans forward to push a button. “Tech - I need a position report for Anton.”

There are a couple of moments of silence then a strained response. “My Lord, none of the Ren’s secondary trackers are functioning.”

“Secondary trackers? Ash were you aware that we have secondary trackers,” Ben asks, looking over his shoulder.

Ash reaches into his pocket and places a small glass jar on the desk containing seven tiny microchips.

Ben chokes back a laugh at the look on the three men’s faces. “Didn’t they use that trick before,” he asks Ash.

“When you were 10. Joseph briefed Miss Rey on that loss as well. She said that Vader cheats.”

“The enemy will not follow any rules of engagement.”

Ash chuckles, “She did say that all enemies cheat.”

“My Lord, Dr Cecil is here.” The guard opens the door to admit the thin doctor who is holding up a red envelope.

“And what the hell does your card say?”

“Please check on Lord Vader’s vitals today at 1pm.”

“Let me guess, it’s signed by Ben’s lil?”

Dr Cecil shakes his head. “No, Lord Vader. This request has been made by the Queen.” He moves to place his fingertips on Vader’s wrist.

Ben takes the card and checks the handwriting, comparing it to the first two. Rey’s signature has definitely been signed by a child, but the messages on all three cards have the flowing script of the Queen.

“Vanee, please ask the Queen to join me at her earliest convenience.” Vader leans back in his chair.

“Not going out to her, Ani?” Milo laughs at the wince on his friend’s face.

“He’s already been chastised once in front of the court,” Tarkin murmurs.

The woman who enters is NOT the Queen, but one of her handmaidens draped in a flowing hooded gown of red.

“Her Majesty wishes me to tell you that she is not available.”

Milo chuckles. “Did our Queen give any indication of when she might become available?”

“The Queen is quite passionate about the present level of barbarism currently being displayed. She also has a growing concern at exploitation of a child for the sake of a certain Sith Lord’s ego.”

Vader stands, glaring as the handmaid drops a curtsy then leaves.

Vader pulls out a phone from his robes and calls Rex. “Quietly get eyes in the Queen’s quarters for our asset.” He sits back down and glares at the screens.

The clock continues to click, Ben losing yet again before letting Tarkin have a turn. He is way too focused on his sweet little queen.

The last two minutes have Milo moving to a cabinet and pouring a round of drinks. Ben waits to take a sip until the final seconds wind down.

Vader activates his Bluetooth. “This is Lord Vader. Ravager exercise complete. Return to base for debrief.”

Ben and Ash look at each other and then cross their arms over their chests to wait.

Tarkin picks up on the tension first. “What is it?”

They do not remove their eyes from Vader and the man finally rolls his eyes and adds, “Quitcode Bravo Bravo Eight, stand down.” 

Rex immediately responds, “Confirmed. No joy.”

“My Lord, the tracking system is not coming back online. I need to completely shut it down and reboot.”

Ben manages to keep a straight face as his grandfather shakes his head. “How long?”

“Seven minutes.”

“Proceed.” Vader throws his headset across the room, wipes a hand over his face and then starts to laugh. “What exactly did you do?”

Ben shrugs. “I did nothing but turn them loose.”

“Miss Rey gave them very direct instructions,” Ash says with a grin. “She told them to cheat, but left the details to them.”

Ben finishes his drink and sets his glass down on the desk. “If you will excuse me, I need to check on my victorious Lil Bit.” 

Vader nods to the guard at the door. “I think not, lets see how she handles hostage negotiations.”

The guard pulls his weapon.

“Have a seat, Ben. She will come for you soon,” Vader says, his eyes glowing amber. Tarkin and Milo cross to stand next to Vader, whispering under their breaths.

Ben sits and waits patiently, mentally sending reassurance to the men behind him.

“Tracking system back online.”

“Where are The Ren and little Rey,” Vader barks into comms.

The map comes up, a tight group approaching a building. “Sir, they are entering the Palace now.”

Security feeds activate showing Thomas and Lukas at the front, with Martin and Joseph behind, and in the middle is his Rey. She’s wearing full tactical gear covered in a golden tabard bearing the symbol of House Naberrie, Kylo at her side. She stops directly over the Queen’s symbol that’s inlaid on the floor.

“Lord Vanee, I am here for my Master.”

Rex and his team surround The Ren, brandishing their weapons.

Thomas laughs, “You have already been beaten twice today, Rex. Do you really want to go for a third?”

Rex rolls his eyes, “I am here to represent Lord Vader for hostage negotiations. Would Miss Rey like to bargain for her Master?”

Rey removes her gloves and tucks them into her belt, then pulls a dagger from her boot. She pulls up her right sleeve then raises her eyes to the camera.

Her eyes turn golden and she starts muttering in Sith as she knicks her inner forearm. A narrow trail of blood runs down her arm and she angles it downward, her fingers pointed right at the stars that symbolize Lord Vader’s responsibly for protecting his queen.

The Ren draw their weapons when Rex tries to advance.

“Kylo, storm,” Rey’s small voice commands, giving the kill code for any who would harm her and the faithful K9 puts himself in between her and Rex.

Everyone’s eyes are not on the weapons, or Kylo’s teeth.

Everyone is watching the line of blood that is flowing down into her tiny palm towards the floor. The blood of an innocent shed during an exercise.

Ben sits still, watching his grandfather who is amazed at this turn of events. 

“Guard, escort Lord Benjamin to the top of the stairs so he can call off his team.”

“Yes, My Lord.” The guard motions with his weapon towards the door and Ben moves quickly out the door and runs the length of the throne room to the foyer with Ash and the guard on his tail.

“Kylo, Blood.” He calls as he starts to descend the stairs.

Kylo’s tongue catches the drip on her fingers then licks the trail clean up to the scratch.

Rey looks up at him and smiles. “Mitaka has a late lunch ready for you, it’s getting cold.”

“Hold him,” Commander Rex commands the guard.

The guard passes his weapon to Ash then pulls off his helmet. Anton replies with a grin, “Not my job, today I am under orders from the Queen to escort Master Benjamin and the Queen’s ward to their new residence, since you destroyed the cottage this morning.”

“Didn’t Professor Tarkin give the history lesson? Her majesty was quite insistent that a refresher was needed.” Joseph barely manages to keep a straight face.

“He thought the question was rhetorical,” Ash replies, shaking his head.

Lord Vanee clears his throat. “Master Benjamin, The Queen would like to see you and your lil tomorrow morning at ten. She assures me that Lord Vader’s gift to Miss Rey will be impressive.”

Ben crosses to her and she immediately reaches for his hand. Her tension flows from her bare skin almost brings him to his knees and he bends to pick her up.

She wraps her arms around him and hides her face in his neck as they move out to the vehicles.

They all pile into one car, Rey clinging to him. “I was so afraid.”

He pulls her closer, burying his face in her hair. “Me too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Definitions:
> 
> Chawan: Ceremonial Bowl used for the High Sith rites by the Skywalker Temple.
> 
> Remen: A protective, pliable metal mesh used to protect the virginity of the Temple virgins.
> 
> Battue: Sith Blood Quest


End file.
